


You Own the Lock and the Key

by queuedepoisson



Series: Lock and Key Series [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Aftercare, Anal Play, Anal Sex, BDSM, Bathing/Washing, Belting, Blindfolds, Desperation, Dom/sub, Drinking, F/F, F/M, Grooming, Hand Jobs, Impact Play, Light Bondage, M/M, Masturbation, OT4, Open Relationships, Oral Sex, Orgasm Control, Paddling, Panties, Phone Sex, Polyamory, Recreational Drug Use, Service Kink, Spanking, Subspace, Tickling, cuddly bdsm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-13
Updated: 2015-06-02
Packaged: 2018-02-17 05:05:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 56,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2297591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queuedepoisson/pseuds/queuedepoisson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis paused and changed his posture, leaning back into Liam's hand.  "You're the strongest person I know, you know that, Liam?"</p><p>Liam laughed and pulled his arm up around Louis' shoulders, leaning back with him.  "Alright," he said, like he didn't believe him.  "What does that have to do with anything?"</p><p>Louis brightened a bit when he heard Liam laugh and wriggled his back against him, shifting his weight to Liam's chest.  "Not just physically strong, like, no duh.  But you have control, you're grounded.  I trust you more than anyone else in the world."</p><p>---</p><p>Liam is the only person Louis trusts to help him explore something he's been wanting for a long time.  A very late night plot bunny accidentally became a secret story became a real fic.   (Eleanor and Sophia are part of this story, peripherally at first but with an increasing role, so if you prefer stories where they don't exist, please be aware.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This never was meant to become a real story, just a smutty brain break while working on a long and involved 1D footy fic that I'm quite proud of. But now it is a proper story going somewhere, although still complete smut, and edited by the wonderful alchemistique as always. And even though Kelty is not in the Direction fandom, I'm still doing my part to make the Cuddly BDSM tag a thing for her.
> 
> (title from Twin Atlantic - Heart and Soul, but Strong was definitely an inspiration for this)

Louis was on the bus already when Liam climbed up and in.  Liam made no effort to be quiet as he looked through the cabinets for cereal, not noticing Louis at first, his head hung over the mobile cradled in his hands.  Once Louis' crushed face registered with him, though, Liam rushed to him, wrapping him up in a big hug.

"Hey, hey.  What's going on?"  Louis hadn't been crying but he definitely looked out of sorts.

"Me and El decided to see other people."

Liam squeezed him tighter. "Oh, no.  No, she finished with you just like that? I didn't even..."

Louis cut him off.  "No, no, not like that.  We're still... together.  Just, it's hard being apart all the time.  And we're young.  Instead of throwing away what we have, we thought we'd try... opening it up?  Trying some new things?  We'd been talking about it for awhile but that," he gestured at the phone, "was the official go ahead."

Liam sat back finally, still close but no longer smothering Louis.  "What does that mean exactly?"

"Like, there was this girl El liked in her last soc lecture and she thought and thought about it.  She'd even told me about it because she didn't want me to think she was cheating.  It's not like she doesn't love me, Liam, she just wants to know.  Well, they kept talking after graduation and it looks like she's interested in El too.  So we had to figure out what to do with that."

Liam was baffled, Louis talking about it so matter-of-factly.  Blokes make fun all the time about wanting to see their girl with another girl but it was different when it was actually happening.  Especially when you're on the other side of the world over half the year.  "Aren't you, I don't know, jealous?"

"Yeah, a little, but I'll deal.  Look at me, acting mature."  Louis laughed sarcastically.  "And it does go both ways.  She knows it's hard for us on the road, avoiding temptation and all that."

Liam made a bit of a face. "Groupies?  Really, Louis?"

"No.  If I did that, someone would leak something, and that would hurt El, agreement or not.  No, anything that I... try out would be with someone I already know, probably."

Liam still wasn't exactly following since there weren't a ton of unattached girls on the crew. "Oh. Oh, you mean..."

"Well, maybe.  If she's trying something different, maybe I should too.  But there's more to it than that for me.  There are some things I could only do with someone I trust." Louis had still been looking down at the ground for most of their conversation, even after he threw his phone on to the small banquette couch across from him.  He chose now to look up at Liam.  It was tentative, eyes shadowed by his lashes as he looked up, looking small next to Liam, curled in on himself.

Liam wanted to spill out a million questions, if Louis was really saying what he thought he was.  But it was clear it was difficult for Louis to say whatever it was he was trying to say and that wasn't normal for him, so it must be serious.  Liam nodded slowly and started rubbing his hand in a small circle on Louis' back.

Louis took a deep breath and started to talk, but halted.  He paused and changed his posture, leaning back into Liam's hand. "You're the strongest person I know, you know that, Liam?"

Liam laughed and pulled his arm up around Louis' shoulders, leaning back with him. "Alright," he said, like he didn't believe him. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Louis brightened a bit when he heard Liam laugh and wriggled his back against him, shifting his weight to Liam's chest.  "Not just physically strong, like, no duh.  But you have control, you're grounded.  I trust you more than anyone else in the world."

Liam's breath caught as Louis played with his fingers, trying to keep their conversation casual.  Like he hadn't just said he was now in an open relationship.  That he was available for the first time in a very long time.  That he needed someone he trusted.

There had been midnight conversations when they were younger.  That if they ever did want to try something with another guy, if the occasional nighttime fantasy turned into something they wanted to make a reality someday, the first time would be with each other.  They had even wanked next to each other in the bed one night, reasoning that it wasn't cheating on their girlfriends if they didn't touch each other.  Liam had still stared, stared and listened and tried his hardest not to come so fast from Louis' sounds but it was impossible to stop.  It was something Liam thought about for a long time.

Liam thought about Sophia, but they were taking it slow this time. Not exclusive, no expectations.  And this thing with Louis, if there was a thing and he wasn't jumping to conclusions, he was still with Eleanor for the long haul, just looking to... experiment?

Louis didn't go on and Liam wondered how long he should wait for him to drag his feet.  Maybe he just needed a bit of encouragement.  He leaned next to Louis' ear to whisper, something they did every day that had an extra charge right now.  "Louis, what is it you're trying to say?"

Louis pulled again on Liam's hand, taking another deep breath but stopping before any words came out.  Liam couldn't handle being on edge like this, Louis so nervous about whatever it was that he was facing away from him to say it.

He got even closer and pressed Louis into his side, trying to reassure him.  "You know you can tell me anything," he whispered even lower, gravelly and warm as his lips brushed Louis' neck.

If Louis had asked, had moved away from him, anything, Liam would have respected his privacy or his need for time.  But he could feel the tension in Louis' body against him, they way Louis' fingers gripped his wrists.  If this was going to involve him somehow, Liam had a right to know.

Louis had left him with no choice.  He wrapped his other arm around Louis' belly and held him in place.  His voice was strict and deep.  "Tell me."

Louis didn't get upset, or struggle to get away.  In fact, at the sound of Liam's command, he had let out a little whimper.  There was something distinctly sexual about it and it went straight to Liam's dick.  He felt a bit guilty thinking about sex when he was supposed to be comforting a friend but he had gotten the impression that was what this whole conversation was about anyway.

Still, Louis stayed quiet and Liam couldn't deal with the frustration any longer.  He had a very long fuse when it came to Louis but this was just too loaded a conversation for his patience to hold out.  "You take some time – " Liam went to get up, but Louis' hands held his arms in place.

"No.  I've had time to think about it, a lot of time.  I just thought I'd have longer to figure out how to tell you. How to ask you."  His voice was small and nervous.

Liam sagged back against Louis.  "Lou, ask.  Whatever it is, I'll do it."  Liam hoped he was making a promise he could keep.

"You can't know that."

"I'd do anything for you, Louis Tomlinson.  Try me."

The silence settled again and Liam squeezed to interrupt Louis' thoughts.  Abruptly, Louis reached for his phone, which didn't make sense to Liam.  He went into an app for password-protected hidden folders and opened a file for Liam, handing him the phone.  Liam opened up the first file, an image, and proceeded to scroll through.  He schooled his face not to react as he went through.  It was porn, not surprising in and of itself, but it had a very specific theme.  It was all BDSM-related, some more intense, some tame.  Thin boys with their wrists tied behind the back or blindfolded.  Some just kneeling or bent over someone's lap getting spanked. There were more intense images too, cuffed to special furniture, gagged and with red stripes across their backs.  Liam wanted to shift in his seat, but stayed perfectly still.

When Liam looked up, Louis was curled into a tight ball in the opposite corner of the small couch, knees against his chest to separate himself from Liam, worry written across his face.  Liam closed the phone and set it down.  He really wasn't sure what he thought yet, but Louis needed reassurance and that he was always capable of giving.  He pulled Louis back under his arm and didn't let him turn away this time.

"It's not like you're the first person to ever want to do those things, clearly,"  Liam joked, trying to get even the smallest smile from Louis.

"I know.  But we tried and it didn't work for us, her dominating me," Louis responded, referring to Eleanor, "and I thought that was okay, that I didn't need it.  But I think about it more and more, and."  Louis took in a gulp of air but this time continued on.  "When you use that voice, when you're cross with me or hold me down, I react, and... If you don't want to, it's okay.  I can find someone else.  I'll try to stop if it's weird or makes you uncomfortable.  I just already know it works with you and I trust you and it doesn't need to be sexual just, say something."  He ran out of words and clenched his eyes shut.

Liam curled his fingers around Louis' chin and made Louis look at him.  "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah, okay."  Liam was surprised when he heard himself but some mix of protectiveness and possessiveness made Liam want to be the one to do this for Louis.  "Let's try it.  If it means you misbehave less trying to get me cross with you, it couldn't hurt, right?"  Louis smacked Liam's hand away but was finally smiling, relaxed.  It was all Liam had wanted since he sat down, to see Louis smile.

"Just, um, how far do you want to take this? Just so I can... prepare?"  Liam's mind was finally processing those pictures a bit more, now with the idea in his mind of Louis as the one kneeling, the one bound, and himself as the one over him, controlling him.  Some of it seemed too much for him but he was still getting stiff thinking about it.

"We can go slow.  We should go slow, right?  Just in case it's not okay."

Liam pulled Louis in closer to kiss the top of his head and tug a little on his hair, carefully keeping his legs crossed so that Louis wouldn't accidentally feel his semi.  Funny how he had done that a hundred times before, pulling on Louis' hair to bother him and now, it held a completely different connotation to him, especially when he felt the way Louis leaned into him when he did it.  "It's going to be okay."


	2. Chapter 2

Liam waited a few days before bringing it up again.  It wasn't too awkward, a few extra workouts and naps were all it took to avoid Louis without making him feel avoided.  He wanted to make sure that this new thing between Louis and Eleanor lasted more than a day.  He also wanted the chance to figure out exactly what he had agreed to.  He needed to know what he was doing in all this.  He understood that Louis wanted to be dominated, topped, like he had read.  But it meant that Liam was responsible for him in a way and that required learning more about this than just watching porn (although he had done that, too, headphones on in his bunk).

But he didn't want to leave Louis hanging, either.  Walking through one of the halls after soundcheck, Liam slid a palm up Louis' back and rested it on his neck in a light grip.  He watched the change in expression on Louis' face.  There was definitely something different about it now, now that he knew how it affected Louis.

"Um, Liam?"

"Uh huh," he replied, keeping his voice casual.

Louis swallowed hard before asking, "Is something going on?"

Liam smiled.  "Just checking.  That you still..."

"Oh… oh.  Yeah, yes."  Louis' last affirmation was definite.

"That's good," Liam replied and walked away.  It was killing him but he desperately wanted to do things right by Louis.  And to do that, he needed more information.  That night he texted Louis a link with the simple message: "Fill it out."  It was a checklist, with a dizzying number of boxes, but it covered absolutely everything one might want to try, and if Liam had learned anything, there were a lot of things to try.

Liam had filled it out himself as well, so they could line up where they matched without pressure or embarrassment.  An unexpected number of things appealed to Liam when he thought about them in relation to Louis.  Most things Liam left unchecked had more to do with his worries about his abilities, not his interests.

Liam knew that even if they both had checked items involving pain, that wasn't where he wanted to start.  He decided it was important that Louis agreed to the aspects of submitting to him without the reinforcement of being punished, or possibly rewarded, with pain.

Louis sent it back quickly.   _Obediently_ crossed Liam's mind, a word he never before used to describe Louis.  Maybe he just hadn't wanted to behave before.  Or maybe he had misbehaved just to get a rise out of people, out of Liam.  It should have felt invasive, the idea of Louis getting hard when he wrestled with Liam or when they had a row and Liam pulled out his "Daddy Direction" voice.  Well, if Louis could forgive him for the number of times he had wanked thinking about what it would have been like to be the one stroking Louis that night, Liam could get over that.

Liam read it over, and again, planning out what he wanted to do, when he wanted to do it.  He got hard again thinking about it despite having wanked that morning.  He was going to have to return to sixth form levels of masturbation if he was going to display the degree of control Louis had faith in him to have.  Louis had checked sexual acts on that list, penetration, cockrings, but Liam still thought about how Louis said it didn't have to be sexual.

Liam could control himself, wear heavy jeans that would conceal how just the idea of Louis on his knees in front of him drove him crazy.  That would be good, right?  Liam fully dressed and Louis in just his pants, small and submissive.  Liam slid his hand down as he thought of it, willing himself to stay quiet, but wondering if Louis was doing the same thing across the aisle in his bunk.

\----

The day finally came a week later, although Louis didn't know it yet.  Liam resumed spending time around him and touching him in their normal manner, only occasionally tightening his grip in a way that made Louis' breath catch.  A small sign that he hadn't forgotten his promise.

Once, Louis pulled him aside, asking Liam if he was still sure about it, worried that he had changed his mind.  Liam laughed at the idea considering it was more like he didn't think about much else.  He felt particularly clever when he told Louis that "maybe this all is part of it, learning patience," and sent him off with a light smack on the bum.  Again, something Liam had done hundreds of times that now was a hint of things to come.

The night in question, they were set up in a hotel, with the next day off.  He double checked that neither of them had planned anything for that day, no meetings or promotion.  It had been a bit of a puzzle to get items ordered, shipped discreetly, and picked up by a runner, but there was no way Liam Payne could just walk into a sex shop, no matter how in the middle of nowhere in this giant country they were.

Liam buzzed before the show, ready to pour his nervous energy into that.  He had done what he could to prepare Louis without giving it away.  He pulled him into watching a movie with him in the afternoon, one that quickly turned into a nap cuddled together.  He reminded Louis to eat a real dinner that night, not just popcorn.  Louis must have known something was up because he listened rather than pelting popcorn at him.

There was a double meaning when Liam turned to Louis right before they headed out and asked, "Are you ready?"

Liam knew he was a terrible actor, and that worried him at first about taking this on.  But he was a fantastic showman, or at least had become one.  All he needed to do was be like he was on stage, a slightly bigger, louder, more confident version of himself.

Louis was awful throughout the show, getting every last word, every sneaky pinch, like he knew the time to answer for it was soon.  Liam laughed it all off until near the end when he pulled Louis into a crushing hug and whispered in his ear, "Be a good boy, yeah?"  Louis backed away slowly, licking his lips, before running off to pinch Zayn instead.

Liam showered quickly while still at the arena, pulling on the thicker, low slung jeans he had planned and a black tee.  He found Louis still bouncing, half-changed.  "It's time to go."

Louis went to answer in his normal sassy tone, something about staying up all night that would normally earn a giggle from Liam, but then he saw Liam's face and quieted. "Oh."

"Are you coming?"

"But you've already showered?  Shouldn't I shower here then?  I'm still in sweaty clothes."

Liam placed a hand on his back to literally push him out of the room, but he could have a bit of fun now that Louis definitely knew what was about to happen.  He leaned into Louis' ear to murmur, "Don't worry about your clothes.  You won't be wearing them much longer."

\----

They reached the hotel in record time.  Once Liam had given a bit of encouragement, Louis seemed to walk twice as fast, rushing past everyone.  Security was just glad that there would be two less of them running around.   It was much easier to keep track of them once they were behind locked doors.

They had private rooms, no longer sharing like they did as teens, but Louis did not bother with turning for his own room, following Liam closely.  Liam unlocked the door and Louis went in first, pacing all the way to the opposite wall and back before stopping short in front of Liam.

"Are we really...?"  Louis' voice didn't appear to hold any regret, but it still shook with nerves.  Liam was going to have to watch Louis closely in the next few minutes and make sure he hadn't changed his mind.  He might deny it to Liam, or even himself, and that would only end up hurting them both.  Liam would keep himself under control.  He could walk away if Louis needed him to.

He nodded, trying to look stern and commanding, not ready to trust his voice.  Louis closed the distance between them, pressing their bodies together, and reached to kiss Liam, but Liam tugged his hair back, not teasingly, hard enough to make Louis gasp. Not even one minute in the room and Liam was able to fulfill one of the things Louis checked as "need."

Liam watched every emotion cross Louis' face, first the rejection and surprise, flooded over by the pain and resulting rush, settling on shaky expectation.  Liam ordered, "Kit off," and let Louis go with a rough little shove toward the bed.

Louis swallowed hard and nodded.  Liam didn't move from the entryway of the room, just waited and watched.  There was a hesitancy in the way Louis pulled his sweaty shirt off.  Liam advanced one step forward and reiterated, "Down to your pants and then kneel on the floor, hands behind your back." The nod Louis gave this time was more certain and he obeyed quickly, leaving his clothes in an uncharacteristically neat pile on the bed.

Once Louis was almost naked and knelt at the foot of the bed, Liam walked in front of him.  He had no intentions of Louis sucking him off tonight, but just the proximity of Louis' mouth to his groin hardened his dick as he ran his fingers through Louis' hair.

"These are the rules I need you to agree to tonight if we're going to do this.  One, you don't talk, unless I ask you a direct question.  If it's a yes or no question, a nod will suffice.  If you do speak, you will end what you say with 'sir.'  Okay?"  Louis nodded and Liam pet him more in appreciation.

"Two, color system.  The one thing you can say without hesitation is yellow or red, like a stoplight.  Yellow, we'll stop whatever is going on and take a break, until you're ready to continue.  There will be no punishment if you need a break and you tell me.  Red, we stop for the night, no questions asked.  We can do or not do whatever you want another night.  Again, no punishment.  If I ask you your color and everything is good, you will say 'green, sir.'"  Liam gave a sharp tug on Louis' hair at the end and Louis let out a small gasp.  The hot air went over Liam's crotch and he had to take his own moment to regain his composure.

"Third." Liam crouched in front of Louis, looking him in eye, hard and direct.  His fingers grabbed Louis' jaw firmly.  "You will obey my commands, you will not misbehave to get a rise out of me, and you will answer me when I ask you something.  You have all of my attention right now.  You don't have to fight for it.  Tonight, you're going to be a good boy.  Do you understand?"

Louis nodded.  His eyes didn't hold fear so much as incredulity that it was actually happening.  Liam almost smiled at his eagerness.  "Aloud, please.  Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."  Louis voice quivered as it came out but Liam smiled broadly now.

"And your color?"

"Green, sir."

Liam stood back up and placed a kiss in Louis' hair.  "Stay,"  he ordered and walked into the bathroom.

It was where Liam had put all the supplies, but he also needed a second to catch his breath.  For all his reading and precautions, he couldn't have prepared for the rush he felt, seeing Louis so docile.  He knew this deference wouldn't last.  Maybe tonight, but if Liam was able to escalate things at the pace he planned, Louis would be fighting him and begging for more, or less, as the case might be.  But right now, he saw a beautiful obedient boy that wanted to belong to him.

He grabbed the bondage tape and headed back out.  If Louis had worried about him coming back, it didn't show as he had remained perfectly still, hands still clasped right above his bum.  Liam wrapped the tape around Louis' wrists in that position, just tight enough that he would seriously have to wriggle to free himself.  Once secure, Liam ran his hands over Louis' bum, then side, over his shoulders.  Louis was his to touch now, wasn't he?

Liam grinned as Louis attempted to squirm away from his touch as he ran his fingertips lightly over the ticklish curve of his side.  It was even better when he ran his fingers over Louis' calves and then the soles of his feet folded under him.  Louis struggled to keep still, a high pitched whine escaping.

It was important that Louis get used to the fact his body was not his own when they were like this.  "Up."  Liam stayed close in case Louis lost his balance standing up without the use of his arms.  "To the bed and bend over."

Liam could hear the quickening of Louis' breath when he ran his hands over his arse again.  So much that would have to wait.  Liam continued down his legs again, reaching the backs of Louis' knees.  When Liam ran his nails across the sensitive stretched skin, Louis practically convulsed and screamed "Noooo!"

With that, Liam sat down on the bed next to Louis and said nothing.  He waited patiently until Louis turned his head towards him. "Sir?"

"I distinctly remember telling you not to talk. You won't move if I tell you not to, as well.  No is not your safe word.  It is not a word to make me stop.  It is also not a word you will say to me."

Louis' eyes went wide before he answered, "Yes, sir."

Liam stood back behind Louis, still bent over the bed, and nudged his feet apart to stand between them.  His fingers ran along Louis' sides again.  Louis squirmed, which wouldn't be so bad if his arse wasn't pressed against Liam's jeans and he took a deep breath before speaking.  "Much better.  Stay quiet, stay still.  You know what to say if you want me to stop, right?"  Louis nodded, face pressed into the bedspread.

Liam's fingers dug into Louis' side, causing one quick spasm before getting back under control.  Liam leaned forward, covering Louis' body with his own.  The heat radiated from Louis' back to Liam's chest through his thin shirt.  He breathed down Louis' neck.  Liam wanted to try one more time to make Louis cry out, to see how badly he wanted to obey.

Louis loved tickling other people but was very particular about people doing it to him.  A small quick poke was one thing, but the lads would have to gang up on him and hold him down to ever properly tickle him the way he so gleefully did to them.  Liam figured Louis just really didn't like it, but then he included it as a possibility on his checklist.

It didn't escape Liam that Louis was letting him hold him down, at least a little.  Liam's fingers slid under Louis' arms and it sounded like he stopped breathing for a second.  Liam dug into Louis' upper ribs and then a little higher and again.  Louis tried desperately to hide his screams in the mattress, but he remained still under the press of Liam's body.

Liam threaded his fingers into Louis' hair tightly and pulled him up, Liam straightening up at the same time.  There was only a silent shudder and Liam whispered 'good boy' into Louis' shoulder, sucking a soft kiss there.

"Back to your knees, where you were before."  Louis brought his legs back together and let Liam push him into place by his neck before dropping down again.  Liam pulled him up by his hair so he didn't rest on his heels.  The way Louis looked up at Liam when he towered over him like this drove Liam almost to the edge but another deep breath and he was centered.

"Keep looking at me," Liam ordered as he bent down just enough that his hand could reach Louis nipple and pinch.  Now Louis couldn't hide his face or bury his moans into the duvet.  He'd have to try and stay calm while looking right at Liam.

Louis bit into his lip hard and breathed heavy, but he didn't move.  Liam twisted just a little and rather than cry out, Louis' eyes glazed a little, head tilting back a bit more.  Liam released his nipple, hard and puckered now, and moved his hand to Louis' jaw.  It was late and Louis was just on the edge of falling.  It was too soon for that and Liam needed tonight to go well, to only hold pleasant memories for Louis.

Liam rubbed his thumb along Louis' jawline. "Louis, stay with me.  You did very well.  That's all for tonight.  We can do more whenever you want, but we needed to start slow, right?"

"Yeah, slow," Louis breathed out.  Liam went around him to cut the tape holding Louis and murmured in his ear how well he had done. Louis squirmed and pulled his wrists forward to stretch and roll them.  Liam got up and tossed the tape in the trash, but Louis didn't move from his kneel even though his knees must have been killing him by now.

"You can get up now, Louis.  It's okay."

Louis nodded but didn't move, instead just whining out a plaintive "Liam?" and bit his lip.  Liam came back to him, crouching in front of him again.

"What is it, babe? You okay?"

Louis _mm-hmmed_ through pressed lips and rubbed his dick through his pants with his newly freed hands.  "We never - You never let me."

"Oh, I just wasn't sure that was what you wanted and thought maybe the first time..." Louis rubbed harder through the material of his briefs.  Liam's breath caught at the sight. He knew Louis had been stiff the whole time but wondered how long he had been painfully hard like that.  A while, based on the way Louis hissed at the touch.

Liam still wanted the control of not letting Louis know how much this turned him on so he leaned back against the bed, sitting on the floor.  "Why don't you put on a show for me, then?"

Louis moaned at the idea and at his own touch both.  He put his thumbs over the top elastic of the briefs but hesitated.  Liam encouraged him, "Come on, then.  Show me that you liked it."

Finally, Louis smiled and pushed his pants down his thighs.  Louis' cock looked even better than Liam remembered, not in the shadows this time, and hard because of Liam.

Louis' strokes were slow but tight, each pulling a high pitched moan from him that caused Liam's muscles to tense in want.  It didn't take long before Louis was shooting ropes of come up his chest and Liam felt like he couldn't breathe.

Louis stayed on his knees, panting, so Liam got up to get him a wet flannel, kissing the top of his head as he passed.  When Liam returned, he knelt in front of Louis and wiped his chest and stomach, even carefully pulling back Louis' foreskin to clean him.  Louis' hands stayed weakly at his side, watching Liam almost in wonder, until Liam went to move away.  Louis went to reach for his flies, but a quick look from Liam and he dropped his hand back down.

If they had crossed that line, maybe it was best that Louis knew.  That if Louis was worried he was some kind of pervert, at least he would know Liam was just as much one.  But Liam's self-control was exhausted for one night and he wasn't sure he wanted to lose himself like that in front of Louis yet.

"There will be plenty of time for that, later.  Tonight was about you.  All about you."  Louis calmed with the reassurance and Liam helped him stand.  Upright now, Louis pulled Liam into a hug and Liam didn't move, letting Louis hold on to him for as long as he wanted.

When Louis finally let go, Liam handed him a clean shirt and joggers from his bag.  "Don't imagine you want to put your sweaty clothes back on."  Louis took them, almost polite and still so unnervingly quiet.  He probably needed time to process and Liam should give him that.

Once Louis was dressed, Liam pulled him in for another tight hug and kiss in his hair.  "You go get some rest, okay, babe?  That was so good but you need to get some sleep."  Louis' daze was almost faded.

"Yeah, I'll see you in morning?  Yeah, of course."  Louis' words all ran together and Liam hoped he was doing the right thing, that keeping him here would be smothering him or not giving him an out.  Louis ducked out the door before Liam could say anything else.

As soon as he was alone, Liam hopped in his second shower of the night, hissing when the water hit him.  His cock had been so hard for hours now and he was falling back on the tiles before he knew it, hand wrapped around himself and gasping.

\----

The walk to breakfast was nerve-wracking for Liam, shifting his weight as the elevator descended.  What if he had managed to ruin everything already?  He thought at the the very least there would be awkwardness to work through, but when Liam approached him at the table, Louis was as bright as he had ever seen him.

"Alright?"  Liam asked neutrally, as he sat down.

"Alright. You?"  Louis pushed a bowl of cereal at Liam, having already fixed a bowl of each kind as he changed his mind between sugary or crunchy or nutty.

"Yeah."  Liam smiled down at his bowl, far too delighted with the world for eight in the morning.

Louis' great mood extended past Liam.  He was more patient, calm; he was downright cheerful when Zayn came down bleary-eyed.  When Liam looked at him proudly from across the room, Louis just sipped at his tea with the smallest of smiles.  

Beyond Liam's worries about Louis changing his mind or it hurting their relationship, Liam had worried, if nothing else, that it might be uncomfortable keeping a secret like this.  From the looks of it, though, Louis was going to enjoy it.


	3. Chapter 3

Two cities and four days later, Louis' pleasant shift in attitude was already reverting back.  In fact, it was worse than ever, going out of his way to be more obnoxious throughout the day, pouting and whining and being generally unmanageable.  Before the show, Liam pulled him aside.

"You are another fucking level today. Is this about...?"  Liam just let it trail off.  As firm and official as he was once they started, he was still afraid to name it when they were just being Liam and Louis.

Louis fidgeted a second before tiptoeing up to whisper in Liam's ear.  "Maybe."

Liam grabbed Louis by the back of the neck and pulled him away, his voice low but unyielding.  "I thought I was clear that you would not deliberately misbehave when it came to that.  But if you want to be punished so badly, that's what we'll do."  Liam hoped the way he growled the last but was enough to put some fear down Louis' spine.

It never failed to amaze Liam how the right touch, the right tone, transformed Louis from an impish prankster into an obedient submissive.  It turned him on more than he could believe.  But Louis had made it clear it turned him on too.  So Liam pulled Louis back against him, tight enough for him to feel Liam's stiffness along his thigh.  "But if you don't get it under control, I will lock my door tonight and there will be nothing."

Louis let out a slight whine and stumbled away from Liam when he was released. He nodded with a dazed look before turning away from Liam.  He ran his fingers over his face and became regular Louis again.

There was no way to stop Louis completely, his tickling and pranking, but no one would want to.  He simply settled back to a bearable level of insanity instead of the extra caffeinated version they were subjected to earlier.

Liam didn't grab Louis right away this time, letting him shower and change properly.  He headed to the hotel by himself, wondering how long Louis would keep him waiting and smirked at the idea.  "Please be at my door in ten minutes.  Each additional minute will result in punishment."  Liam couldn't be too angry when he heard a knock fifteen minutes later.

He opened the door and let a flushed Louis in.  Perhaps he had smugly waited at first but then rushed when he considered the unknown consequences.  Louis' hair was damp and smelled of fresh soap.  He hadn't bothered with anything more than trackies and a vest, sockless feet in slip-on Vans.

If he had been goading Liam to punish him earlier, he was the absolute opposite now.  Louis already stripped his clothes off and kneeled the same as he had before, all in the time it took for Liam to bolt the door and walk back.  He didn't leave his pants on this time because he hadn't bothered putting them on at all.  He was leaving Liam no choice but to acknowledge the sexual aspect of this.  Liam hadn't bothered with anything more than trackies either, no shirt.

Liam walked over to Louis' perfect kneeled form and patted him on the head.  "Look who's trying to be a good boy.  Too bad he was so disobedient earlier.  No amount of good behavior is going to lessen your punishment now.  Starting with how you kept me waiting."  Liam walked away from him, sitting down on the side of the bed.

The look in Louis' eyes was like he was already being punished, just by Liam being so far away.  "Come here," Liam requested, no anger in his voice.  Louis started to get off of his knees.  "I didn't tell you to stand."

Louis stared, licking his lips before settling back on his knees, and then extended his palms in front of him.  Carefully, he crawled across the carpet until he was knelt at Liam's feet, cheek against Liam's thigh.  Liam scratched along Louis' scalp before his next command, "Over my lap."

Louis stood just enough that he could lay over Liam's lap, keeping his head tucked down.  Liam could feel Louis' already thickening cock against him, and, more importantly, Louis could feel Liam's pressing against his stomach.  With each little movement as he shifted on Liam's lap, trying to adjust the way his fingers and toes reached for the floor, Liam could feel him rubbing against his cock.  It would only get better as Louis jumped from the smacks he was about to receive.

Liam rubbed Louis' bare bum now that it was in position.  "A spanking seems like a good place to start with naughty boys.  Let's see, you kept me waiting five extra minutes so that should be five hits, right?  Imagine the reward you might have gotten if you had just gotten here faster."  Liam continued to massage Louis' bum as he spoke, listening to Louis' labored breathing.  "Do you agree five hits for being late is appropriate?"

Louis grunted and thrust his hips rather than respond and Liam tensed his grip on Louis' arse.  "I asked you a question."

"Yes, sir.  I'm sorry, sir.  Five sounds," Louis swallowed hard, trying to catch his breath, "five sounds good."

"And before we start, I want to see that you remember.  What is your color?"  Liam resumed moving his hand lightly, keeping his voice under tight, calm control.

"Oh, god, please, Liam.  Do it," Louis begged.

This time when Liam squeezed, he dug his nails into the soft flesh of Louis' arse cheek. "Would you like to try that again?"

There was a small whimper before Louis answered, "Green, sir."

"Better."  Without warning, Liam raised his hand and brought it down hard, right in the middle of Louis' cheek.  The snapping noise was satisfying as was the way all of the air pushed out of Louis' lungs.  "That's one."

Liam tried not to go too hard, as there would be more coming, but at the same time, the way Louis responded to the pain was intoxicating.  By the third hit, Louis had reached one of his hands back to Liam's ankle and tightened his fingers when the next smack came down.  Four and five went right to the top of Louis' thighs, below the crease of his arse.

One hand massaged the lightly reddened skin and the other ran through Louis' hair.  "You did so good.  You took it so well."  Louis tried to rut against Liam, dick smearing just a bit of precome on to his leg.  Liam took the hand off his arse and instead wrapped it around Louis' hips, pulling him back.

"Next time, you will come as quickly as possible when I ask, yes?"  Louis nodded vigorously.  "Now, the rest of your behavior. You said the acting up was so you could get want you wanted, what I've told you I will give you if you just ask.  You knew not asking would make me angry.  Why didn't you tell me?"

Louis' answering whine was pathetic and breathless.  "I don't know, sir."

"How many days ago should you have said something, if you had been a good boy?"

"Uh, not the night after last time, but the next so... F-four days, sir."

Liam tsked at him. "Four days.  Think of all the fun we could have had in four days."  He let his nails slide from Louis' scalp down his neck and between his shoulders, earning a soft hiss from Louis. "Instead, you disobeyed me and you weren't very fair to everyone else.  You weren't getting what you need."

Louis' breaths were coming in pants and Liam could feel the rise and fall of his chest on his lap.  "I do.  I need it, sir."

"There will be four more hits for those four days.  These will be significantly harder, so you do not do the same thing again.  Is that okay?"

"Yes, sir.  Please, sir."  Louis unconsciously rocked his hips forward again, pushing against Liam's grip.

"There will be two to each side.  You can make noise if you need to."  With that, Liam switched arms, one wrapped around Louis' waist and the other rubbing his skin to warm it again, sensitive from the previous spanks.  Liam knew Louis wanted it, knew this might only be the beginning if Louis really loved the pain once he felt it, but he still hesitated a moment before bringing his palm down, spread fingers so his hand would move faster and come down harder.

Louis groaned and shook under his grip.  Liam quickly followed with a second to the other cheek, pulling a quieter, longer noise from Louis.  Liam placed his hand on the bed until the stinging in his palm went down a little, but when Louis whimpered, he quickly came down with three and four, the sharp noise ringing in the room.

When he was done, Louis was quietly keening, his arse now stinging far worse than Liam's palm.  Gently, Liam brought him up and into his arms, cooing at the hiss Louis made when his bum slid on to the bed.  Liam placed reassuring kisses on Louis' forehead, kissing away the reflexive tears on his cheeks.  He hovered over Louis' mouth but thought better of it.  Instead, he quietly asked.  "Color?"

"Green, sir."  Louis responded in between huffed breaths before burying his head in Liam's chest.  That meant they could go ahead with the last thing Liam had planned.

He waited until Louis' breathing evened out, but then it was time.  "Back on your knees with you, then."

Louis moved with surprising speed to the floor, eyes locked on Liam for his next order.  He looked so eager even as his arse cheeks must have burned against the pressure of his heels.  Liam got up from the bed and stood in front of Louis.

Unlike last time, there was just one thin layer of fabric over Liam's cock and it did nothing to hide how hard he was.  It had been insistently pressing into Louis' belly the whole time.  Louis' eyes dropped from Liam's and instead focused directly in front of him, licking his lips.

"The past four days, you were a very greedy boy, putting your pride and your needs before everyone else's.  So you'll have to wait a bit longer to get your needs taken care of."  Liam had one hand in Louis' hair, waiting to feel some tension or resistance in his movements, but he stayed pliant and eager.  The other slipped a thumb into the waistband of his shorts.  Liam could barely control his own breathing as he slid the shorts down, his leaking cock hard against his stomach.

Louis' eyes almost seemed to look past him, in a daze.  "Louis? You with me?"  He nodded quickly.  "And... This is good?"

"Yes.  Yes, please, sir.  Let me take care of you, sir."  The way Louis begged for him was too much.  With one hand on his cock and the other on the back of Louis' head, he guided him forward as patiently as he could.  It turned out that was more about slowing Louis down than anything.  Louis' mouth opened as far as possible to take him, running his tongue along Liam's cock before closing his lips around him in a tight, wet heat.  Liam struggled to keep Louis at a steady pace, not let his knees buckle under him, and stay quiet even though it felt amazing, all at the same time.

When Louis pushed against his hand, he immediately removed it, worried.  Instead, Louis looked up at him, blue eyes wide and pleading.  "May I use my hands on your cock, sir?"

Liam bit his lip to keep a wide smile at bay. "Yes, you can. What a good boy."  Liam anchored his fingers back in Louis' hair as he resumed his sucking, wet and sloppy and eager, his hand now pumping around the base of Liam's cock.  If Liam was going to lose control, it was now, whispering under his breath about what a very good boy he had.  His hips bucked forward and Louis just moaned for more.  His hands held Louis in place but the last few thrusts of his hips were all it took before he was coming, moaning Louis' name.

Liam let his hands drop to his sides right before he came, but Louis didn't pull off.  He kept his lips tight around Liam as he shot down Louis' throat, and after, softly licking at him.  Liam tried to refocus as quickly as he could with Louis' face nestled against his thigh.

Liam knelt in front of Louis, gently tilting his jaw so Louis looked him in the eye, still slightly dazed.  "You're going to be my good boy, right?"  Louis moved slower now, but nodded.  "You will tell me next time when you need me?"  Liam slid his hand around Louis' neglected cock as he nodded again.  The next question he growled right into Louis' ear, jerking him as he asked, "And if you want a spanking, you'll just ask.  I can think of plenty of things from over the years to punish you for."  Louis tried to answer 'yes, sir,' but it was swallowed by his moans as he shot over Liam's hand.  He leaned on Liam's shoulder, gasping for air.

Liam could not hold back a breathless laugh from the endorphins coursing through him, not to mention how unlikely this whole scenario still seemed to him.  "Louis?"

Louis nodded against him with a small mmm, quiet as he came back to himself.  "Do you want to shower here?"

"Yeah. Yes."  Liam helped Louis to his feet and waited until he was steady to let him head to the bathroom.  Once he was alone again, Liam let out a heavy sigh.  Even as he wiped Louis' come off his hand with a napkin from the minibar, he still was in disbelief over hot it was, how any of it was happening.  It didn't make any more sense when Louis came back into the room, naked except for a towel on his shoulders where his shaggy hair dripped.

"I should go, erm, clean up, too."  Liam knew it was ridiculous to be embarrassed, that they had seen each other naked hundreds of times, but never right after he had come in Louis' mouth.  Now that he had dropped out of that moment, that mindset, Liam's head was swimming.  "You can borrow something out of my bag if you want clean clothes?"

It was a dumb thing to say.  Louis had only been wearing the clothes he came in with for less than an hour.  But he closed the bathroom door and let a hot shower help clear his mind.  When Liam came back out, teeth brushed and more or less calm, he thought Louis might have left already.  Instead, he found him curled up under the covers, still naked.

Louis must have been tired.  The show was enough for that but even more so from the spanking.  God, it was like Louis had been craving it, craving all of it really.  Liam pulled the covers back to get into bed and saw Louis' bright red arse, purple bruises faintly appearing already from the harder hits.  He headed back to the bathroom to find the cream he had ordered along with everything else.

Sitting gently on the bed, trying not to wake Louis, he put some of the cream on his fingers before rubbing it into Louis' skin.  Louis roused slightly with a _hmm?_  "It's me, Lou. I just want to make sure you're alright tomorrow."  Louis' response was to roll onto his stomach and wrap an arm around Liam's waist.  Liam hadn't gotten a chance to put any clothes on either, so apparently he was sleeping nude, too.  He rubbed a bit more of the cream in before sliding down, Louis snuggling tighter to his side, and turning off the light.

\----

Liam had been awake for a little while, flipping through Instagram on his phone, when Louis nudged against his side.  Louis lifted his head, confused, when he realized his pillow was warm and breathing.

"Hey, sleepyhead."

"Ah, shit.  I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to fall asleep here.  I just didn't want to leave before you got out and I was still a bit out of it and... Shit, oww."  Louis grimaced as he tried to sit up against the pillows.

Liam set the phone down and turned to him. "You okay?"

"Yea, I'm okay."  Louis' eyes squeezed shut in pain even as he smiled.  "More than okay really."  He sounded still a little sleep drunk, or maybe just a bit of euphoria holding over from the night.

"Yeah?"  Liam asked, with a dirty smile of his own.

Louis pulled Liam against him in a hug, ignoring their nakedness.  "I... Thank you.  For this.  I don't think I really understood how... I knew it was important to me but, really, I need it."

"I think everyone should be thanking me considering how much easier you are to deal with after," Liam joked as he pinched Louis side.  More seriously, he added, "I agreed because I wanted to be there for you, but I'm starting to think maybe I need it in a way, too."

"Alright, don't tear up on me, Payno.  You'll get the pillows wet and I wanna go back to sleep."  Louis gripped Liam harder.

"Uh uh, no you don't.  I wanna get to the gym before it gets any later."  Liam slipped out of his grasp and the bed.  Louis buried his face in the pillow with a groan.

"Promise me you will never make that part of the deal."  Liam laughed and threw Louis' clothes to him before pulling on his gym kit.

"I won't make any promises other than there's a lot on the list before that."  Louis jumped off the bed as he pulled his trackies up and over his arse.  He padded toward Liam.  He was more or less ready to leave but he paused for a second, standing in front of Liam.

"I want you to know, everything so far has been great but just," Louis halted before going on tiptoe with his hands on Liam's shoulders, kissing him softly.  Liam was taken by surprise but tried to catch up quickly, lips parted, fitting against Louis' bottom lip.  Their tongues just barely grazed before Louis pulled away from him.  "There.  Now, whether we kiss or not, when it's happening, it won't be our first kiss.  Our first kiss was just being us."

"Yeah."  Liam was confused but smiling.  It was almost romantic of Louis, in a weird way.  Liam shouldn't have been surprised when Louis found a weird way to do everything.  "So, don't wait next time, yeah?"

"You got your point across."  Louis rubbed his bum with one hand as his other reached for the door handle.  "Although it might be a bit before I'm all healed up."

Liam was mostly back in their normal mates-who-aren't-having-kinky-sex-together mode, but his eyes went dark with the comment.  "Don't worry, I've got plenty of ideas to work around that."

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> quite a short chapter, but when i realized the next section was past 3500 wds, i figured i would just throw this up separately. ch 5 should be up before the end of the week though!

_Did you know it's very hard to lay on your back in a tiny little bus bunk when your arse is still purple ??_

**saw your arse yestrday its not that purple**

_Well it's still hard to fall asleep_

**that means youve pleanty of time to mke sure you learned ur lessen**

_Very hard to take you seriously with so many typos_

**sass. does that mean you alredy want more ?**

_I'm still ... ok - just a little buzzing_

**Tmw night still on the bus but day after is a hotel night**

**Do you need something in the meantime ?**

_What did you have in mind ??_

**Call me**

_We're on the same bus, with other people_

**Im aware but a - they have headphones in and b - you arent going to b talking much.**

**I need to be able to hear you to know if your obeying**

_No honour system anymore_

**Louis**

Liam's phone buzzed with a call.  When he answered, Louis breathed into the phone, not bothering with a greeting.  Last time, in the room, he was told to remain silent, so he did the same now, waiting for Liam impatiently.  Liam needed his commands to be short and to the point, not wanting to be heard, but teasing Louis was too tempting.

"Have you started?"  Liam's voice was a hoarse whisper and it was quiet enough that Liam could here Louis' hand hit the bed as he stopped touching himself abruptly.

"Put your hand back. I'll just add starting without permission to the list."  It was a game Liam had started over the last few days, knowing he couldn't properly take care of Louis the way he wanted all of the time.  Whenever Louis did something that could be considered punishable, he'd tell Louis he would add it to the list.  It just sounded like they had a new running joke to everyone else but them.   The rules were such that a first offense would just be a light smack, to establish the restriction from now on, but the plan was that repeat lessons would be progressively more severe.  Sometimes it was tempting to bend Louis over his knee right when it happened, if they were alone, but the anticipation was worth it.  Louis had been better at not fishing for punishments now that he knew Liam was watching.

They hadn't had a chance to spend the night together again yet, but despite Liam's intentions to keep everything separate, their new dynamic found ways into their lives outside the bedroom.  When Liam tackled Louis from behind on stage, there was a certain charge when he squeezed him in his arms.  Liam didn't think they were actually acting any different than before, it just felt different now that he was aware of the effect it had on Louis.  There was also a side to it that was gentle, reassuring, when Liam kept his hand on Louis' knee during interviews or would lean over to whisper how good he was being into Louis' ear.

Louis' desire to obey was growing as well, wanting to find out the rewards possibly available to him.  Liam didn't feel too guilty about using this to his advantage, directing Louis to do things like neatly fold both of their clothes back into their luggage on the bus.  Louis would actually stick with it for more than two items if Liam was watching him.  It was getting harder for Liam not to come up behind Louis and suck on his neck as he did whatever Liam asked, wanting to show him what a good boy he was right there.  He might have, if he thought either of them could control themselves to just that.  They both were ready for a hotel night but listening to Louis wank wouldn't be a terrible way to ease the wait.

Louis barely whispered "yes, sir," as he started stroking himself again.  Liam could hear the wet sounds of Louis' hand sliding over his cock and realized Louis must have been using lube or lotion before calling.  Liam hadn't thought that far ahead and pressed a palm against his soft pyjama bottoms.

Liam listened to Louis' breath speeding up and catching every so often, but he wasn't rushing, waiting for Liam's next command.  Liam rubbed harder over his pants as he pictured Louis, vest pulled up exposing his belly and legs spread apart slightly.  "'Move your hand down."

"Sir?"

Licking his lips, Liam continued, "You've been using lube?"  Louis made a small affirmative noise.  "So your fingers are all slick?"  The same noise answered, but with a small whine at the end.  "Then move your fingers down."  Louis sounded surprised but desperate.

"Take your time. Go slow. But you can't stroke yourself until you've worked one finger all the way inside."  Liam was grateful he wouldn't have to give any more instructions for a few minutes, both out of fear of being heard and so he could spare some attention for his own cock as he listened to Louis open himself up.

Each shudder let Liam know when Louis had tried to move deeper, each breathy moan as he relaxed into the new stretch afterwards.  Louis whimpered for his ignored cock as he concentrated on the task Liam had given him.  Liam carefully listened for any more of the wet stroking noises from before to make sure Louis didn't try to cheat and earn himself a more severe punishment for disobeying.  Louis behaved as far as Liam could tell, but there were new sounds as Louis started moving his finger faster, sliding in and out easily now as Louis was slick and open.

"Do you like it?"  Liam wasn't sure how he expected Louis to answer, trying so hard to stay quiet as he penetrated himself, but a moan that barely sounded like yes was a good enough response.  "Good.  That's good.  I want you to do it again tomorrow.  Try to get up to two.  It'll make things go easier next time."  Louis' moan went higher at the suggestion.

"You can touch your cock again now, but don't stop your other hand."  Liam could hear Louis struggling for breath now, getting closer to coming.  "Shh, not yet.  Not until I say."  Liam stroked himself harder, imagining Louis' pained face as he tried not to go too far and lose control.  He waited until Louis sounded in danger of letting out a noise that would wake the whole bus before telling him okay.

It was seconds before he heard Louis' scream muffled in a pillow.  Liam was soon after, a quiet grunt as he bit down on his cheek.  They stayed on the phone until both of them could breathe something close to normally.  Liam had one last instruction.  "Go to the toilet and clean yourself up.  Let me know when you're headed back."

Liam clicked the phone off and stretched back against his pillow, leaving his hand resting on his stomach in the mess there.  He could hear Louis jump down from his bunk lightly to the floor and open the bathroom door.  He closed his eyes, listening to the water run.  Liam was still in the same position when he heard Louis on the other side of the curtain, "Li?"

Liam pulled the curtain back just enough to see Louis and pulled him in gently with one hand on the back of Louis' neck.  "You good?"  Louis simply smiled in response.  Propping himself up on one elbow, Liam pressed a kiss to Louis' forehead, quick and soft, a reward for his obedience.  Louis' smile was even bigger and he was ready to head back to his bunk when he looked down to Liam's other hand, still on his belly.  His eyes flashed up to Liam and his tongue just barely darted out across his lips.

It didn't go unnoticed. Liam reached up slowly and rubbed his thumb along Louis' bottom lip, smearing it with his come.  Louis tentatively sucked his bottom lip between his teeth and then leaned in to take one of Liam's fingers in his mouth.  He licked it entirely clean before Liam took his hand back and sent Louis off with a wink that made Louis giggle silently.  It wasn't that odd for one of them to check in with the other in the middle of the night, but it also wasn't that odd for a third boy to join the conversation unannounced and Liam really wanted to get cleaned up properly before falling asleep, as sexy as it was to watch Louis do the job.  Less than 48 hours until he could watch Louis for as long as he wanted.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here is the "real" chapter I was talking about last time, since the other was so short. Sorry it didn't go up Saturday, I was kinda freaking out about seeing the lads on Sunday and lost track of everything else (now I'm just in a daze where I don't believe it happened). Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Oh, and I realized recently that not everyone loves to see criticism in the comments but I don't mind at all! Any thoughts, ideas, good or bad, lemme know. I do this to practice writing and this is really just a fun piece for me so while I do have a general idea where it is going and some parts written out, you never know what an idea could spark.
> 
> Thank you thank you to Emily for proofreading everything.

Liam was the one who was impatient this time.  It hadn't even been a week since Liam had spanked Louis for the first time but he knew the bruises were fading and he wanted to see them and touch them and touch Louis before they were gone.  There was something about having this physical sign of Liam's touch, of Louis having a constant reminder of what they had done, that was incredibly hot to him.  Liam never would have thought something like that would do it for him, but this experiment with Louis was awakening a new hunger in him.

Thankfully, Louis and Liam were both booked at the same hotel that night which would make it less noticeable that Louis' room wouldn't be in use.  Liam briefly thought about whether he should ask someone about changing any future reservations but he was consistently distracted all day, thinking of the new purchases he was looking forward to trying out in a few hours.

Louis noticed Liam's excitement and it was contagious, putting Louis in a great mood and intensifying the vibe between them on stage.  It was like electricity underneath Liam's skin, sparking every time Louis was near.  He rushed as soon as they were free to go, needing the extra time to set up and to calm himself for Louis.  Controlling Louis and taking care of him properly meant knowing how to center himself, even when he was dizzy with anticipation.

Once in the room, Liam set aside his regular suitcase with his clothes and unzipped his duffel bag in the middle of the bed.  It was important that he got the restraint straps that went under the mattress set up before Louis got there, since Liam hadn't wanted to depend on whether or not the headboard in the hotel would work.  He pulled the top sheet back up and over the straps once in place as not to ruin the surprise right away.

With that done, Liam texted Louis to hurry as fast as he could, but he knew Louis had gotten caught up with some VIP guests.  He wouldn't punish Louis for something he couldn't control but Louis did his best to show he was impatiently eager as well.  He texted the second he got both in and out of the shuttle that took him to the hotel, and right when he got out of the shower five minutes later.  It was barely two minutes before he was knocking at Liam's door.  Liam took his time answering, knowing well who it was, and didn't bother putting anything on over his pants.  When he opened the door, Louis looked expectant for approval at his haste and he got it.  Liam pulled him in with fingers twisted in his wet hair and kissed the crown of his head.  "You did good."  Liam saw a flash of Louis' smuggest grin before he mumbled "thank you, sir."

Proceeding as before, Louis undressed as soon as he reached the bed and folded his clothes onto a chair, but Liam shook his head when Louis started to kneel on the carpet.  "Over the bed."  Louis promptly obeyed, laying his chest against the sheets with his bum up in the air and legs slightly spread.

Liam ran a light hand over Louis' backside.  The bruises were barely shadows now.  "How long until it didn't hurt to sit?"

"It was alright by the next night.  I promise I'm ready for more, sir," Louis whined, wanting Liam to touch him more roughly.  "That list is long enough already."

Liam dug his fingers into the light remaining yellow spots and Louis twisted in pain.  "Healed, right?"  Liam circled the marks with his thumbs absentmindedly.  "No, I think that will have to wait.  On your back."  A light smack set Louis in motion.

Louis scooted up the bed on his knees and laid down, bared under Liam's gaze.  Since starting this, Liam had to be careful around Louis when changing clothes backstage in a way he hadn't needed to in years, trying not to look like he wanted to devour him right there.  Now, here, he could be as obvious as he wanted.

"Stay."  Liam had moved his duffel into the bathroom and he went to retrieve a small black bag from it, hiding its contents.  He dropped the bag next to Louis and walked to the far side of the bed with the first item he pulled out, a simple black cuff with a D-ring attached.  Louis watched him closely but didn't say a word and kept his hands at his sides, making no effort to conceal himself.

The sheet edge was still above Louis' head and Liam pulled it back enough to first attach the cuff to the strap.  Then, Liam reached down to drag his fingers up Louis' side and continued them along his bicep, raising Louis' arm above his head.  Louis closed his eyes and relaxed into the touch.  Liam took his time buckling the cuff, testing the tightness but also enjoying Louis' slim wrists, the way his tattoos peaked over the strap.

Liam went back to the bag for a second cuff and repeated the process on Louis' right.  Once both arms were up, Liam further admired Louis' form, stretched and exposed, spreading Louis' knees to settle between them.  He curled his fingers around Louis' chin to make him open his eyes and pay attention.  "You will say something if your arms start to hurt at any time, yeah?"  Louis re-focused and nodded.  Liam added with a wicked smile, "There are plenty of other ways to hold you down if I need to. What I want to do will be easier without restraining your ankles.  Do you think you can behave for me?"

"I'll be good, sir."

Liam hummed in agreement and kissed at Louis' knee.  "And were you a good boy last night?"

Louis nodded, "And this morning."

Liam kissed farther down Louis' thigh.  "A very good boy."  Louis' dick was thickening against his thigh but Liam pushed his legs farther apart to kiss almost to the crease of his hip.  Louis gasped as Liam's kiss turned into a soft bite on the inside of his thigh.  Liam sucked harder as he imagined the dark mark it would leave behind, a fresh bruise that only he and Louis would see but would mark Louis as his.

"It makes me happy you did such a good job.  I didn't think another spanking just yet would be wise, but it would be wrong to ignore that perfect arse."  Liam pushed Louis' legs even farther apart, over his shoulders and fished in the black bag for a bottle of lube.

When Liam hesitated uncapping the bottle, he tried to remember that Louis had done it to himself earlier.  Liam had done it as well, alone, but years ago, and this would be his first time doing it to someone else.  He poured too much over his fingers but did not care much about making a mess on the hotel sheets.  He wanted Louis dripping wet, as he circled two fingertips against the outside of Louis' hole.  Louis rocked back against him, his impatience a clear sign of his enjoyment.

Liam pressed his other hand roughly down on Louis hips to keep him still.  His index finger slid into Louis with surprising ease, Louis must have been quite thorough this morning.  "How many fingers did you get up to this morning?"

"Three, sir," Louis answered breathlessly.

Liam started to press and gently push the tip of his second finger in, slower.  "And did it make you come?"

"I wanted to," Louis gasped as Liam now had two fingers pumping inside him, "but you hadn't told me I could."

"Oh, Louis.  You have definitely earned a reward tonight, my very good boy."  Liam spread his fingers apart to pull a moan from Louis but stilled when it formed the word _please_ , desperate and drawn out.  "Please what?"

"Please, sir, please fuck me."  Liam almost lost his composure right there, surprised by how Louis said it, full of need but with no caution.  He kept his fingers still and Louis tried to push against him.

"Not tonight, but is that something you'd like?"

Louis' eyes clenched shut as the words fell out of him in a rush.  "Oh god yes.  Yes, sir.  Please, sir.  Do it."

Liam withdrew his fingers and Louis cried at the emptiness.  "I said not tonight.  You need to be patient," Liam ordered, silencing Louis for the moment and ceasing the movement of his hips.  He reached over with the hand that had been holding Louis down to retrieve the second item from the black bag, a flared butt plug that would keep Louis full as Liam carried out his plan.

"For this, you are going to answer when I ask and continue talking until I tell you to stop."  Louis kept his eyes closed and his eyebrows knit together but he nodded.

"Eyes open, Lou, look at me."  Louis did as he was told, except he couldn't keep his eyes on Liam alone, widening them when he saw Liam lubing up the plug.  Liam waited until Louis was looking at him again, calm and no longer writhing against the restraints, to pull one of Louis' legs over his shoulder and keep him spread open.  Then he placed the tip of the plug right at Louis' hole.

He paused, waiting for Louis to say this was too much, that the fantasy and reality of being filled like this were two different things.  It wasn't a very big plug comparatively but it still looked intimidating.  He thought about asking him his color, but then Louis started to flex against him again, so Liam pulled Louis' leg tight to his chest.  "I want to know.  Had you ever sucked someone's cock before last night?"

Louis hesitated in his answer, unsure of where Liam was going with this.  "No, sir."  Liam began to press into him, causing Louis' voice cracked at the end.

Liam hummed pleasantly at the way Louis was already falling apart.  "But you had thought about it."

"Yes."  Liam stared Louis down as he inserted the plug over halfway, dragging it out.

"Did you think about someone in particular?"

"Yes, sir."

Liam was ready to finish, but wanted to know Louis' answer, expecting some film star.  "And who was that?"

"You, sir."  Liam's cock twitched in his pants as he slid the remainder in with a sudden shove.  Louis jumped as his hole tightened over the base, arms taut against the restraints, and then groaned at how the plug moved with him.

Liam was pleased to see it working already, better than he could have planned.  "See, no worries about your arse being ignored tonight."  He punctuated his sentence with a flick to the base, smiling shamelessly.

Louis groaned again but followed it with "Thank you, sir."

"Did you like it?"  Louis' legs were still spread open, knees squeezing Liam's hips, and Liam ran his fingers over them lightly.

"Like what?"  

"My cock in your mouth.  Was it like you had thought about?"  Louis managed a nod and a quiet gasp of a _yes_.  Liam reminded him, "I said to keep going 'til I tell you to stop."

Louis nodded again, heavily lidded eyes staring back at Liam, and he tried to fill Liam's request but it was mostly rambling.  "Yes, sir.  Your cock… I didn't think my jaw would hurt so much but I liked it."  Liam started kissing back down Louis thigh to drive him even further to distraction.

"Did you like the taste?" Liam questioned Louis further, enjoying the way this made Louis squirm as much as anything else he did.  When Louis paused, Liam pressed against the base of the plug again, the pressure sending a shudder through Louis from his hips to his shoulders.

"Yes yes yes.  It was a lot to swallow but it was you and I wanted to make you come and it was so -" Louis trailed off when Liam sunk his mouth over Louis cock. He slapped him on the thigh to make him continue.  "I...  It was hard to take all of it.  You're so big but I guess I'm not used to it and oh god, Liam.  Sir.  Fuck."

Liam flicked the base of the plug again as he sucked.  "I can't, I can't.  I don't know what to say."  He popped his mouth off, continuing to stroke Louis wetly.

"You could tell me how good it is to watch someone moan from your mouth.  To cause someone pleasure like that, have that control."  At least that's how Liam felt about it right now.  Everything about having Louis' cock in his mouth was unfamiliar except for the way Louis gasped and moaned.  That part he was getting very happily accustomed to.

"But it was you."  Louis struggled for breath between sentences, barely making sense, as Liam's hand continued to steadily move up and down over his cock.  "Fucking my mouth.  Taking me.  It feels so good when you control me.  When you tell me - tell me what to do."  Liam smiled and then dropped back down, intensifying his pace as he took Louis back in his mouth.

Liam didn't slow his hand as he licked over the tip of Louis' cock, thinking of every blowjob he had ever been on the receiving end of and what had felt best.  He listened carefully to Louis unravelling above him when his lips slid tightly over the ridge and back up again.  He pulled off just long enough to give one more command.  "Come for me."

Liam waited until Louis was almost screaming to pump the plug inside him, tugging against his arsehole closed around it.  On the next push in, Louis came in waves into Liam's mouth.  Liam willed himself not to swallow, not all of it.

Louis came back down gradually, twisting uselessly against the restraints, but when Liam placed a hand on Louis' chest, he stilled.  Liam leaned over him and kissed him, letting the come remaining in his mouth move between them and flavor the kiss.  "You taste good?"  Louis nodded slowly.  "You like come?"

"Yes, sir."

"You like it so much you couldn't wait.  Wanted to taste more if it on the bus.  Do you want more now?"  Liam's voice was rough and darker than normal, partially from sucking Louis' cock but mostly from the way Louis looked completely taken apart and helpless under Liam's control.

"Yes, sir.  I want more of you,"  Louis begged in a desperate whine.  Liam straddled Louis' chest and slid the waistband of his pants down to jerk himself roughly and quickly, riding the wave of making Louis come.  He quickly started to spasm and some of it shot into Louis' mouth but also across his chest and neck  and chin, even in his hair.

Liam tried to catch his breath as Louis stared up at him, wide-eyed but distant.  Louis' wrists no longer tugged on the restraints and Liam leaned forward to unbuckle them.  Louis left them above his head.  Liam lifted off of him and curled him into his arms, mess and all, pulling Louis' stretched arms back around his torso.  "Babe?  Lou?"

"'Mmm?"  Louis sounded like he was there but barely, greyed out and fuzzy around the edges.  Liam absentmindedly thumbed some of the come off of Louis' chin, but Louis was quick to nip at Liam, pulling his thumb into his mouth.

"Everything good?"  He pulled Louis tighter to him, his skin cool.

"So good, Liam, everything is so, so good."  It sounded like Louis was talking from a dream.

They laid like that, Liam holding Louis close, for at least ten minutes but they had been quite messy and needed to clean up.  Liam gently pulled away and rolled off the bed, tugging his pants off and throwing them in a pile with other laundry.  "I'm gonna get you cleaned up now."  Louis was still soft and faded and didn't quite seem back to himself yet.  "You were such a good boy, I'm going to take the plug out now."

Louis lazily nodded but let out a small whine as he stretched around the widest part again on the way out.  Liam put it in the bathroom sink to clean once he had gotten Louis to bed.

Louis let himself be gathered up from the bed, arms wrapped around Liam's neck.  He could support himself but didn't seem interested in going anywhere other than staying close to Liam.

The hotel shower had a tiled bench that Liam could guide Louis on to while he worked out the water and the soap.  Bathing had been on the list, something they were both possibly interested in, but he wasn't even sure Louis would remember this.

Liam pulled the shower head off the hook once the water was warm and rinsed them both off first.  Next, he got a flannel all soapy and knelt at Louis' feet as he ran it over Louis' chest and shoulders, admiring all the images in Louis' skin that catalogued their lives.  He was tracing his finger over the letters on his collarbone when Louis looked up.  "Li?"

"There's my boy.  You doing alright?"

Louis grabbed Liam by the biceps and pulled him close.  Their foreheads touched, noses side by side, and Liam wrapped his hands around Louis' waist.  Louis wouldn't move that last inch for their mouths to touch but Liam did.  The shower head rested on the floor, running water over his legs but he finally focused on just one thing, Louis' mouth.

He put everything into it that he had been trying to be, gentle but firm, taking the lead but making sure Louis was following, challenging him and rewarding him as their tongues slid against each other.

"I'm doing quite well, thank you."  Liam smiled big at Louis' answer, eyes crinkled.

"You've been a bit out of it.  Wanted to be sure you were back with us."

"It's not - I knew what was going on, just, it all felt a bit far away.  I knew you were taking care of me."  Louis intertwined his fingers through Liam's sudsy ones.

"Well, not quite done with that but now you can help a bit more with the taking care of.  Up with you."  Liam stood, placing the shower head back on it's hook.  Louis stood under the spray and let it rinse away the soap, washed his face and wet his hair.  Liam stayed behind him, running the flannel over his back in circles.

Those circles went lower, over Louis' bum.  "Still need to..."  Louis assented and spread his legs a bit farther apart, one hand on the wall as the water ran down his back.  Liam moved the flannel gently between Louis' cheeks.  Louis let out a small hiss as it went over where he had been stretched so wide not that long ago.

Once Louis' body was clean, Liam grabbed one of the small hotel shampoos to wash Louis' hair.  Liam scratched his nails along Louis' scalp and Louis leaned back into him, softly moaning his appreciation.  It was tempting to draw it out further but it was late enough and he still had to clean up after Louis was sorted.

Louis turned to face Liam as he rinsed the shampoo from his hair with his eyes closed.  Liam stared at him for a moment, unguarded, taking a moment to be thankful that Louis had chosen him for this, to take care of him like this.  It was turning out to have plenty of benefits, but his favorite one was getting these moments with Louis when he was relaxed and content.

Liam reached out and ran a thumb over the stubble of Louis' jaw, which cause Louis to move out of the spray to open his eyes.  Louis laughed a little at Liam's solemn expression and went for the soap to start washing up Liam in return.

"Mm, don't worry about me.  I've got other things to take care of first."  Liam reached around Louis, encroaching on his space as he turned off the water.  "Let's get you dried off."

Once out of the shower, Liam wrapped Louis up in one of the fluffy hotel towels and slowly rubbed it over his skin, kissing each area when it was dry.  Louis tried to wriggle away from the small affectionate touches, but all Liam had to do was raise an eyebrow and he stopped.  Liam moved down Louis' body, continuing the process over his belly and down his legs.  When he looked up at Louis, his eyes were drifting shut, sated and sleepy.  Liam stood up and dropped the towel over Louis' head, giggling.  "C'mon, bed."

Liam took the straps out from underneath the mattress and peeled the soiled top sheet from the bed.  At the same time, Louis pulled a soft tee and a pair of pants from Liam's bag and put them on.  Liam pulled Louis into his arms one more time.  "Be back soon."

Louis crawled into bed and Liam threw the duvet over him.  He did as promised, returning to bed as soon as he had taken care of his own shower and found some sleep clothes.  He also had to take time to wash up and pack the toys they had used, returning them to their spot in the bottom of his luggage.

Liam went through the room and turned out all the lights before curling into bed next to Louis, who roused slightly.  He brushed through Louis' hair with his fingers.  "Really?  Everything is good?"

Louis whispered the same thing he had told Liam before.  "Everything is so, so good."

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a short chapter/long chapter situation again. The next chapter is waiting on proofreading and should be up in a few days, and it has a lot going on.
> 
> Thank you to Emily for proofreading and Kelty for beta-ing outside of her fandom.
> 
> The idea for a bit of this came from a comment so please! leave comments! criticism/ideas/anything. Also, this isn't britpicked as it's mostly a fun break, but I do have a longer fic I am looking for someone to check out in addition to regular proofreading so if you would like to help someone out, come find me on tumblr http://louisthisisallyourfault.tumblr.com/ or twitter @qdpoisson. Thank you!

Liam missed the way a morning run cleared his head and he remembered why he used to do it more often.  Over the past week, his nights were too busy for a post-concert wind down trip to the gym, even if he was working up a sweat.  No morning radio interviews today, no promotions or appearances, meant the other lads were probably all taking advantage of the chance for a lie-in but Liam could neither stay asleep any longer nor bear to wake Louis.

When Liam left his room an hour ago, Louis was sleeping angelically, in stark contrast to the screaming mess he had been the night before as they tried out another new toy, a paddle.  Liam was still worried that he had gotten a bit too enthusiastic but at the same time, he couldn't wait until one of the boys tackled Louis onto the green room couch and the small wince Louis would make when landing.  Little hints of what they had been doing at night snuck up on Liam during the day, the way Louis would sit leaning towards one hip during meetings or small bruises that he alone knew the reason behind.

Liam checked the time on his phone, sitting in the treadmill cupholder, and it was late enough that Louis should be awake soon.  The only way he knew to get Louis up a minute earlier than necessary was with the promise of a reward.  If Louis showered and completed his morning chores, bed made and any toys left in the sink overnight washed and packed, before Liam got back, there would be time for another round before heading to the stadium.

Liam hoped it would at least be better than the first morning he left Louis to clean up.  Louis had woken up on time but Liam returned to the room to find Louis playing with one of the plugs by himself, back against the shower tiles and legs spread obscenely.  It perhaps wasn't the best disincentive when the punishment had been a quick hard spanking over Liam's lap without removing the plug.  Liam pulled it out afterwards so he could make Louis come in seconds on his fingers, stealing the dragged out foreplay that Louis craved more than the orgasm itself.

They couldn't always take hours, in the morning or when given the rare opportunity to slip away from the others during the day, but Liam had learned to really like taking his time when he hurt Louis within the boundaries they had set.  Watching Louis' muscles go taut, the way his mouth fell open, sometimes with a scream but more often with a noiseless gasp, the sweat that pooled in the small of his back when he was almost at his limit.  Liam never would have predicted how much all of it turned him on, so far beyond just getting the chance to make Louis come and all of the reasons that made sense when he agreed.

But Liam's favorite part was afterwards.  He rushed through the bare minimum of clean up at night so he could be with Louis sooner, curling him into his arms and soothing any rough bits pulled up by their play.  Sometimes they would talk, reassuring Louis how beautiful and perfect he was, how special Louis had made Liam feel by choosing him.  Any other time, Louis might snap back with sarcasm or deflect compliments Liam offered up, but in those moments in the dark, Louis was pliable and would listen.  He soaked up Liam's attention like a sponge, letting it fill all the spaces his anxiety and stress had been before Liam removed it from him, hit by hit.  Liam knew Louis had waited a long time to experience this with someone and he truly hoped Louis thought it was worth it.

Liam was so lost in his thoughts he almost tripped on the treadmill when he heard the gym door slam.  "Didn't mean to scare you."

The accent and laugh were familiar and a quick look in the mirror confirmed it was Niall, toweling off after a session with Mark and shooting him a quick wave.  "Good workout?"

"Gotta keep the conditioning up while on the road.  Otherwise, what would Mou think?"  Niall joked.  The extra time he was putting in after his knee surgery meant Niall's footie obsession was at an all-time high, and that was saying something in this band. They all had taken it hard, having to miss so much of the World Cup that summer.  Even Zayn had made an effort to care for Perrie's sake.  Maybe it was all sports for Niall recently, since now he was going on about tweeting with someone whose name Liam couldn't place.  Tennis player, maybe?  At least food still had a place on Niall's list of favorite things.  "If you're almost done, want to get some breakfast?"

Liam originally planned on running a little longer but that sounded like a much more comfortable alternative.  "Sure, sounds good."

"I'll be right back.  Need a wee and some more water."  Niall headed through the door to the locker room.

As soon as Niall left, Liam went through a small moment of panic.  There was no way Niall could have guessed that he had been startled because he was busy daydreaming about Louis just now but that wasn't the same as sitting across a table from him and holding up half of a conversation.  Liam was worried his face might give something away and while the easy answer was to simply not think about it, that was easier said than done.  He obviously saw his bandmates everyday but mostly while doing other things, like performing.  Besides, Niall was the only one Liam was truly worried about knowing because there was a small, but definitely possible, chance that Niall had heard Liam and Louis on the bus.

Liam didn't need to give many instructions anymore when Louis called his mobile from across the bus aisle.  He would lay silently as possible, hand wrapped around his cock while listening to Louis open himself up, take himself apart the way Liam would have if they hadn't been on the road that night.  For all their efforts to stay quiet, Louis would eventually give in to the softest whines as he got close.

Louis always stopped for a kiss after cleaning himself up, wanting Liam to tell him how good he had been face-to-face, not just through a text.  The night in question, Niall got up for a glass of water before Liam could head to the bathroom to clean up too, and Liam froze, convinced they had been caught.  Even if Niall had heard anything, and so far he hadn't given a sign that he had, his first assumption would hopefully be that his two friends were both wanking at the same time, completely unrelated, not that they had entered into a Dom/sub relationship together.  Liam heard the words in his head and it sounded as unbelievable as it felt sometimes, but Liam was nothing if not a terrible liar and worrier too.

At least Liam knew for sure that Niall didn't know anything about the kit room spanking at the stadium earlier that day that led to them on the phone that night.  It was so hot that it left them both physically unable not to do something that night, bus or not.  It was definitely up there with one of the naughtiest adventures he and Louis had gotten up to, including before this started, but it had fulfilled every school gymnasium fantasy Liam never knew he had.  Liam couldn't wait until the next time they were performing in a proper English football stadium back home and they could maybe manage a midnight recce to use one of those giant tubs like he had spied in the Bernabéu locker room.  Liam ran harder to keep the blood rushing everywhere but his dick.  But his heart rate increasing reminded him even more of Louis and the things they did together.

When Niall came back, Liam halted his sprint to a jog before turning the treadmill off and hiding his face in his towel, reddened more from memories than physical activity.  Liam grabbed for Niall's water bottle to take a swig.

"Louis spent last night in your room,"  Niall stated matter-of-factly.  Liam coughed lightly on the water but was grateful that drinking gave him a reason to pause before answering.

"Yeah, watched a movie, fell asleep, you know.  Someday I'll learn my lesson instead of waking up with crisp crumbs in the bed."  The crisp crumbs were an easy detail to come up with since a few nights ago, they really had spent cuddled up under the blankets together, watching a movie and texting family members.

It could get lonely in a room by yourself, unable to fall asleep, and Louis' room would have sat empty otherwise while he holed up on the bus anyway.  It did mean, however, that they managed to make twice the mess, together in one room for two nights in a row.  Both of their suitcases laid open on the floor with clothes shoved everywhere and the sheets were left in a pile from Louis setting up and breaking down the restraining straps.

Louis liked setting up much more than cleaning up afterwards, the way it built up his anticipation.  He still hated packing as much as any of them did, but with Liam watching and waiting to reward him, he could get the job done. Liam knew he was a very lucky that Louis treated blowing him as much like a reward as when he got sucked off himself.

"And two nights ago it was you in his room." Liam snapped out of it and handed Niall his water bottle back with a shrug, since it was true.  "Just seems like you two have been spending a lot of time together lately."

This was exactly what Liam was worried about.  Was Niall vaguely insinuating he had heard them, if not on the bus, then in the hotel?  It was all about the poker face.  The absolutely terrible, cannot-pull-off-a-prank-without-giggling Liam Payne poker face.  Louis enjoyed keeping a secret, knowing something no one else did, but that wasn't Liam.  Liam hoped that Niall wouldn't be inclined to believe it anyway, or would at least be content to look the other way.

The best solution was to not look at Niall for a second until he could change the subject.  Liam gestured for Niall to follow him out of the gym.  "You know, we all go through bezzie cycles. We're just in the middle of a cycle.  What about you and Zayn running around shopping?"  They walked past the hotel's restaurant bar that probably wouldn't appreciate them sitting down in their sweaty gym kits.

"Alright, but no bike dates this time."  Niall seemed satisfied as he waved a finger emphatically as he laid down the law.  They headed out the sliding doors to the poolside bar where no one would mind their track shorts and sleeveless shirts.

"Sure, as long as you don't steal him to show off to your footballers once we're home."  It wasn't a baseless worry after he had missed out on hanging out at the Nou Camp in Barcelona.

Niall laughed as he hopped on to the barstool and grabbed the laminated postcard that passed for a breakfast menu.  "Wouldn't dream of it.  With the Ryder Cup coming up though, might be able to set up a tee time that you would not believe."  Liam tuned out, busy picking out what to eat but nodding at the appropriate times.

Sitting at the bar had been a great idea since they could watch the sports news as they are their omelettes.  Liam got meat and veg in his but his stomach flopped a little as Niall inhaled his filled with cheese and doused with hot sauce.  They talked about boring stuff during the commercials and it was the most normal Liam had felt since all this started.  He didn't have any desire to go back to that kind of normal, but it was a nice break.

When they headed back inside, Liam stopped at the bev station in the lobby and fixed a cup of tea before heading towards the lift.  Niall knew perfectly well it was for Louis considering he skipped the sugar, a fact he regarded with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm going to need something to get him out of my bed."  Of course, Liam already had a plan for that in mind but nothing Niall needed to hear about as they took the lift up.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the long chapter :) hope it delivers. Lemme know what you think!
> 
> Thank you Kelty and Emily for your continued loyalty through this journey.
> 
> Aaaaaannnd, if you'd be interested in beta-ing/brit picking a longer footie 1D AU, please get ahold on tumblr http://louisthisisallyourfault.tumblr.com/ or twitter @qdpoisson. Or if you just want to be friends. That'd be cool.

The whole lot of them were piled onto the couch in Zayn's room; even Harry, whose room was technically booked in a boutique hotel two blocks down the road.  Their internal clocks were at least in sync with each other, if not with the rest of the time zone, and they were obnoxiously awake for three in the morning.  Liam had the weird feeling in his chest that he always got the week before a break, that he was going to miss being apart from his boys but nowhere near as much as he missed home the rest of the time, and he figured the feeling was echoed all around.

He and Louis were clutching a slice of pizza each, half on top of each other in the corner of the sofa as they watched Zayn and Niall play FIFA.  If Niall asked really nice, Harry would hold a slice up for him to take a bite out of without having to take his hands off the controller.  Zayn settled for dealing with a greasy controller and bites whenever he wanted, even if it was hurting his defending.

Even after they finished off the pizza, Liam and Louis stayed in their cuddle and let the three others decide who was up next.  It was unusual since Louis was normally the one who crowned himself King of the X-Box and decided whose turn it was next to challenge him.  Tonight, Louis laid his head on Liam's knees, tucked against Liam's chest, insisting he was feeling a bit tired. When he turned his head, he could chat with Liam in semi-privacy.

The game was loud enough without the additional noise of Niall and Harry whooping over it for the two of them to talk.  "So one more week before we get a rest?" Louis said, muffled against Liam's thigh.  Liam didn't know if this break would feel any different with this new dimension to their relationship, but it wasn't like they couldn't visit if they wanted.

"Yeah, and two separate crew parties over the week to celebrate.  What are they going to do when we actually wrap?"

"One continuous twenty-four-hour party?" Louis guessed with a smirk.  That would be a Tommo party, at least.  "But that is gonna cut into the time for us..."

"Maybe we should be making the most of it."  Liam tried to look for some hint in Louis' face.  "Like maybe tonight..."  Louis nodded eagerly and Liam breathed a sigh of relief, having guessed right.

Liam toyed with a piece of hair that had fallen across Louis' forehead.  "Might have to step it up if I'm gonna make sure you stay marked until I see you again."  Louis let out a barely audible mewl and squirmed against Liam's leg.  "Would you like that, really?  Like, if El saw, it won't be bad?"

Louis blushed lightly but managed an answer.  "She'd be okay with it.  She knows how it all worked out.  Like, not in too too much detail, but yeah."  It comforted Liam a bit that Louis was talking to Eleanor about all this too, that taking care of Louis was a group effort.

"So tonight then.  Better make a move soon if we're going to get out of here before the sun rises."

"Right, because creatures of the night like us shouldn't be so close to the windows when day breaks."  Louis laughed and leaned up to bite Liam on the neck, which almost made him moan, but he was able to shift it to a chuckle quickly.

The others turned to look at the loud noise and saw Louis, mouth pressed under Liam's jaw.  Liam pulled away sharply but Louis didn't seem bothered in the least.  He turned with a mischievous grin and said, "Don't worry. I'll leave souvenirs on all of you."

The pair of them tried to wait it out on the couch through round after round, measured in beers and Harry's losses.  Harry called cheating when Niall whispered something in Zayn's ear but an offended Zayn scoffed, insisting that video game football was the one sport he was any good at.

Liam made a game out of the waiting, occasionally teasing Louis with details of just how thoroughly he planned to take him apart.  "At least once you're all bruised, I can be fairly certain you won't go running around pants-less at the party."

"Ah, but then Harold will be so lonely.  You'll have to take my place as streaking partner."  Louis grabbed at Liam's shirt, trying to wrestle it off in a move that looked pretty typical to the rest of the group, Louis springing from rest to attack mode at any moment.  The other lads couldn't know the hold also meant Louis pressing his hard-on against Liam's leg to show his impatience.  Liam gave Louis' bum a light smack that would have been a joke if not for the way Louis gasped against his neck.

Louis spoke close to Liam's ear before falling back on the couch.  "Don't be surprised if I make you carry me from soft surface to soft surface if it's going to be that bad."  He collapsed on to the cushions in a fit of giggles made worse when Liam grabbed his feet and pulled them into his lap.

They watched one more game in that position, drifting enough that he couldn't keep track of who was controlling which players, before Liam yawned big and said, "I think I'm done for the night.  Headed to bed."  He pushed off the couch, leaving Louis' feet on a pillow after they fell out of his lap.

Liam thought Louis would have stayed back, staggered their exits like they do on TV shows, but he hopped up next to Liam out of instinct, a step behind.  Maybe if he didn't remark on it, no one would notice.

"You going with him, Tommo?"  Louis answered Niall's question with a nod and kept walking towards the door.  Liam was turned facing the room with one hand on the doorknob and could see Niall raise his eyebrow, like he hadn't dropped the conversation between Liam and him days ago.

Trepidation was written across Liam's face, still worried about being found out, but Louis decided he could take care of the problem.  "Yeah, 'cause you never crawl into Zayn's bed when you're cold."

Zayn smirked without taking his eyes off the screen.  "S'got a point."

"Well, at least I wait or make it look like an accident."  Niall scooted back against the couch and crossed his arms, frustrated at being called out on his hypocrisy.

Louis looked puzzled.  "But then I'd have to spend an hour being cold."

"Good night. Sleep tight," Harry shouted over Niall's further grumping.  "I don't think this is the kind of hotel to have bed bugs so I don't know if the last part applies."  The strange almost-joke did exactly as intended, giving them time to escape while Niall picked on Harry for his rambling.  Liam tried to slip out the door quietly but not before Louis jumped on his back and slammed the door behind them.

"Really?"  It had been awhile since Liam had gotten to pull out the exasperated tone he reserved just for Louis when he was in a shit-starting mood.

"Might as well get in one last good misbehaving in first, right?"  Louis rubbed his cold nose against Liam's neck and tightened his arms on Liam's shoulders.

"Babe, it isn't misbehaving if you asked instead of tackling me."  Liam leaned back until Louis had no choice but to lower his feet back down to the carpet, gravity taking over.

"I'm not going to punish you with something you like anyway.  You'll get plenty just for having a gorgeous arse that needs to be smacked."  Liam swatted at Louis to punctuate his point.  He added smugly, "But I am still going to punish you a little.  If you want to be carried so badly, we'll do it my way."

Louis went willingly as Liam squatted with an arm behind Louis' knees and the other across his shoulders.  Louis looked small and almost effeminate being carried this way, bridal style as one might say.  The warm blush as Louis hid his face in Liam's neck told him all he needed to know about the embarrassment Louis felt.  Before, when Louis had been riding Liam's back, he was in control in appearance at least.  Liam hadn't been able to break him of his pride completely.

Liam carried Louis into the lift.  He switched rooms at reception earlier so they would be a bit farther away from the other lads, definitely out of hearing distance.  Somewhere in the hotel, Louis' room would have one bag dropped off from bell service and a bed that was never touched.

The ride and subsequent walk down the hallway seemed to take forever, a time when anyone could have run into them, someone on the tour staff or just another hotel guest.  Liam disregarded the ache in his arms and kept his pace leisurely, not setting Louis down until he needed to pull the keycard out of his pocket.  Liam held the door open for Louis and as soon as they were both in the room, the air between them changed.

"Nothing to set up.  You know the rest," Liam said plainly before heading into the bathroom.  The initial rush of anticipation made him tremble slightly and he rubbed the back of his head with his hands.  Liam thought, by now, the idea of controlling Louis and disciplining him wouldn't cause his stomach to jump quite so much, but he would be fine after taking a moment to settle. He busied himself folding up his clothes, leaving only a pair of tight dark boxer-briefs on, as little in the way as necessary tonight.

The black bag filled with their toys was getting continually more full and he laid out what he would need to bring back to the bedroom with him.  First, he grabbed the bondage tape, since they weren't using the restraints, then the lube which was definitely going to be needed, and the paddle seemed like a good idea if bruises were the goal.  Contemplating, he held the plug in his hand for a moment before putting it back.

They had both said they were going to make tonight count.  Liam knew explicitly, both from Louis' moans in bed as well as from texts during the day, that Louis wanted Liam to fuck him, not always waiting patiently.  The idea made Liam a little dizzy and he kept putting it off but it would be awhile before he might have the chance again.  Instead, he picked up a strip of condoms and carried the four items out with him.

Louis was ready just like Liam expected, knelt on the ground at the foot of the bed, naked.  His clothes were folded neatly on top of the dresser, knowing Liam would make him fix it otherwise and delay their start.  Liam emptied his hands next to the pile.  Louis' hands were tightly clasped above his bum and he didn't move a muscle when Liam opened the door or walked around the room.  For someone so impatient, he waited perfectly for Liam.

Liam came up close behind him and ran his fingers against Louis' scalp.  The sensation made Louis arch back and into Liam's hand, like a cat stretching, but his hands stayed in place.  Liam leaned forward to Louis' ear before speaking in a low tone.  "You look so beautiful like this.  Like you belong there.  On your knees."

Louis huffed out a sharp breath, nodding, and Liam watched him slide smoothly into the right headspace.  The way Louis acknowledged his place so quickly, eagerly, helped Liam with his own state of mind.  "Hands in front, love," Liam instructed, "straight out."  Louis did as he was told and Liam grabbed the tape.  He wrapped the tape almost around Louis' forearms, keeping his elbows together and preventing the pressure from digging into his wrists.  Liam swapped the tape for the paddle before directing Louis.  "Up."

With Liam's hand at his back, Louis stood and waited until Liam sat on the edge of the bed to fold himself over Liam's lap.  Liam muttered _good boy_ with an appreciative pat and started rubbing warming circles over Louis' arse, paddle resting on the duvet next to him.  There were still a few lingering marks from the paddling earlier in the week.  They kept it short the first time, but it had been intense.

"You know this isn't punishment, anymore, right?  We're doing this because you like it and if you didn't, we wouldn't have to anymore."  Louis lifted his head long enough to nod before resting against Liam's calf.  With a dark laugh, Liam added, "I do like it quite a lot too," before laying down the first stinging hit to Louis' backside.

Liam slapped the other cheek next, smiling unavoidably as he felt Louis squirm.  "I should ask you to count to keep from getting carried away. Or maybe just so I can keep track for next time just how many hits you can really take.  That's two so far."

Liam switched to the paddle after the first two hits, the third landing higher up on Louis' bum, and he jolted again. "Louis?"

"Three, sir."  Liam praised him again before his hand landed against Louis once more.

Up to twenty, Louis was a mess, grunting between hits and twisting in Liam's lap, probably fully aware of the effect that had against Liam's crotch.  But around then, something shifted.  Louis breathing evened and he continued his count calmly.

Liam kept going, fascinated by the way Louis slipped past the hysterics, deeper into the subspace Liam couldn't quite imagine.  From Liam's perspective, it could be unsettling, the way Louis was there but also somewhere else at the same time.  It was almost like meditation, the way Louis drifted back from it relaxed and calm.

They had just begun though and Louis was rutting against Liam's leg with each hit, not the desperate twisting from before, but a deliberate stroke in the same rhythm as Liam's strikes.  Liam set the paddle down and pulled Louis' hips off of his lap, so Louis had to bend his knees more and rest his chest against Liam instead.

Normally that would be a bit like punishment in and of itself, withholding friction or pressure against Louis' cock.  This time was different, his cock getting more friction in the form of Liam's firm grip.  With his other hand, Liam rubbed small circles into Louis' reddened flesh, burning hot.  Little white dots appeared under his fingertips where he dug in.

Liam was pleased with how Louis' breaths had gone back to sharp huffs, not frantic but not under his own control either.  "It feels good, doesn't it?  The pain?  It gets you this hard."  Louis nodded but it wasn't enough. "I can't see you. Tell me."

"Yes, sir," Louis managed with a sharp exhale between the words.  "So hard."

"So hard you could come already?"  Louis let out a whine in response.  Liam worked his fist over the head of Louis' cock to spread the dripping precome down his length.

"I won't, sir.  I promise.  I'll be good."

"What if I wanted you to?"  Louis thrust into Liam's hand at the idea.  "Do you want to come for me, baby?"

Sweat trickled down the back of Louis' thighs as he pumped his hips against Liam harder.  "Fuck - oh please, Liam, can I?"

Liam landed a sharp slap against the already stinging flesh.  Technically, it was for calling Liam by his name, but he also knew it would edge Louis' closer even faster and landed two more quick snapping hits.  "Come on then.  Come for me."

Louis went silent, breathing strained, until Liam felt Louis' cock begin to pulse in his hand.  A long low moan escaped as he came until he buried his face in the side of Liam's thigh.

As soon as Liam was sure Louis' legs were still supporting him, Liam used his free hand to pull Louis' head up, depriving him of the ability to muffle his noises.  With the other, he carefully gathered up the come on Louis' belly and brought his hand to Louis' mouth. He smeared it messily across, Louis' tongue darting out to lap at his palm.  There was still more on Liam's thigh where it had shot and now it was on Louis' cheeks and chin as well.

Liam gently helped Louis off his lap and placed him between his legs, kneeling and looking up at Liam.  Louis didn't look completely gone right now but he was clearly riding a wave of bliss.  Taking Louis' face in his hands, Liam brought Louis up for a kiss and then another.  Normally, they saved these kinds of deep kisses until they were laying in bed afterwards but Louis' taste was all over him and Louis was so eager to please him.

Liam tore himself away to get a flannel and wipe his leg down.  Still holding the wet cloth, Liam guided Louis back to standing.  "Do you want me to clean you up before we continue?"

Louis looked dazed. "More?"

"Heh, yes, more.  That was just to get you to calm down."  He wiped at Louis' face, dragging the cool flannel along his jaw and over his neck, while the information sunk in.  Louis' breath caught when Liam's hand pressed down on his Adam's apple lightly.  Liam noted that as something to store for later after a lot more research.

Louis shook his head as Liam ran the cloth over his chest and Liam asked, "What is it, babe?"

In a small voice, Louis answered, "Wanna stay dirty."   Liam used his free hand to rub at the come remaining on Louis' belly.  That was new but Liam tried to always give Louis what he wanted if he asked for something.  This was all for him originally, not Liam, and the requests were usually ones Liam was happy to grant.

"Yeah?  Come here, then, dirty boy."  Liam pulled Louis in close before turning him back towards the bed.  "Up you go, all fours."  Louis was able to work it out fairly easily, even with wrists bound.  Once in place, he leaned on his elbows instead, leaving his arse tilted high up.

Liam stood next to the bed and took advantage of having much more of Louis available to him in this position, running his hands over Louis' chest and down his legs.  Louis' arse was a bright red with a few purpling spots that would darken and spread throughout the night, or morning as was the fastly approaching case.

His hands slid lower, over Louis' untouched thighs and tested a slap there.  Louis jumped satisfactorily so Liam tried the other side to equal effect.  He would need to be more careful here, nothing too visible or dark that might be noticed when Louis was changing.  Pushing his legs farther apart, Liam struck Louis' inner thigh.  The fresh territory was sensitive.

He knew it wasn't on purpose, but Louis kept leaning forward with each smack to lessen their intensity so Liam wrapped his arm tightly around Louis' narrow waist to hold him in place and continued.  In this position, he could still feel the stickiness of Louis' stomach and let his hand roam higher up to Louis' nipples.

Liam gave one of them a light pinch at the same time he landed his other hand back down on Louis' thigh.  The combination of sensations caused Louis to make a whole new noise, strained and desperate.  Again, Liam did it, but harder.  He changed position so he could tease Louis' other nipple, drawn in by the way he could play with every part of Louis to a different effect.

Liam was concentrating so much on Louis' chest that the spankings were landing on Louis' bottom again, right on top of the already overheated flesh.  It was so sensitive that Louis cried out for Liam to stop, actually shouting "No."  Liam halted immediately.

"How do you make me stop, Louis?" he said, trying to keep his voice level, afraid that he really had hurt Louis.

Louis took a few deep breaths before responding, "By saying red, sir."

"Are you saying red now?"

"No, sir."

Liam exhaled in relief, massaging Louis' tender skin, just roughly enough.  "What is your color right now?"

"Green, sir."  Louis' voice was coarse from screaming and moaning and Liam wished he could keep him talking just to hear it, but there was a limit to Louis' coherent thought when they played.

After grabbing the two items remaining on the dresser, Liam climbed on to the bed behind Louis on his knees, hands at Louis' hips.  "Good boy," Liam repeated again because, under the worry, Liam did feel a strange sense of pride at how much Louis could take and still want more.  Louis automatically slid back to press his arse against Liam, specifically against Liam's cock painfully hard and pressing at the fabric of his pants.  Liam allowed himself the moment's pleasure, running his fingers over Louis' spine.  He could imagine Louis' back striped with red marks and he wondered if either one of them would ever be up to something like that.  Maybe Liam could use his belt.  But how could he practice something like that first?

Gaining control back, Liam pushed Louis' hips forward.  Despite Louis' insistence that he could take more, Liam could see how angry the skin was over Louis' arse and thighs, the edges of the paddle leaving small lines.  It didn't mean stopping, but it did mean no more impact play for the night.

Liam snapped open the lube and covered two of his fingers.  Both slid in with little effort.  Louis knew how to relax into it now and was kept open so often with the plug.  Liam's fingers curled inside Louis with practiced familiarity and teased him until his thighs shook.  Liam used one hand to spread Louis farther before introducing a third finger.  Louis was pleading for more, and Liam briefly considered trying four fingers for the first time, but he knew that was not what Louis was asking for and that he was stalling.

"You ready?"  Liam forced confidence into his tone.  "You want me to fuck you?"  Louis didn't bother with words, just an urgent pleading moan.  He started to turn over and Liam snapped his hands around Louis' hips to keep him in place.  "No, like this."

Part of Liam wanted to be able to watch Louis' face the first time, but he couldn't.  Louis begged with a small whine, but Liam had decided.  "Don't want to hurt you, baby," he said, which struck him as funny considering what he had spent the last hour doing, but Louis knew what he meant.  Liam felt this way he would have more control over the pace, knowing how ahead of himself Louis could get.  He was also worried that if he could see Louis' face, he would lose his nerve, or worse, start attaching a very different kind of emotion to this.

"If I get you a blindfold, then you can just feel it.  Just want you to feel good."  Liam rubbed his hand up and down Louis' side, trying to soothe away any nervousness.  Louis nodded as his head leaned forward on his arms.

Liam got off the bed long enough to take his pants off and grab one of his bandanas from the pocket of his luggage.  He knelt next to the bed so he was eye to eye with Louis, but Louis kept his head down.  When Liam ran his fingers through Louis' hair though, Louis moved against him like before.  Louis' face was oddly blank but he nodded when he saw the bandana and kept his head up long enough for Liam to tie it over his eyes.

Standing back up, Liam stared at the gorgeous, perfect, dirty boy tied up on his bed and tried to understand he was about to be inside him.  His fingers had been inside him and his cock had been in Louis' mouth, but none of that would compare to fucking him and feeling him that way.  It was up to him to take Louis apart and put him back together again and it was terrifying and wonderful.

He took his place on the bed behind Louis again, no longer keeping distance between him.  His cock was laid flat on his stomach and Louis' arse pressed against him.  It was already almost too much and subconsciously, Liam tried to distract himself.  He was fascinated by the open expanse of Louis' back, thinking still about the way it would look marked up like his thighs.  Liam ran his nails down the skin and watched Louis' back arch in pleasure.  First Liam did it lightly, almost a tickle that recalled their first time together, but then harder, leaving fine red tracks.  He dug his nails into Louis' shoulders to keep from going any farther but that just made Louis buck his hips more, Liam's dick resting between his cheeks.

Liam took a deep breath and let go, not able to wait any longer.  He could see pink light from under the curtains as morning grew closer.  Not even sure of what he was saying as he fumbled with the condom and the lube, Liam assured himself as much as Louis of how well Louis took everything and how well he was going to take Liam's cock.  He ran his fingers around Louis' rim one more time.  He had seen the muscle stretch around toys and around his fingers, but it still was so sensitive and tight.

Liam lined himself up and pushed in slowly, holding his breath to keep from screaming in pleasure.  Louis' breath was coming hard and fast as he muffled deep moans into mattress until Liam bottomed out and they both gasped for air.  Liam's fingertips clenched at Louis' hips as he tried to process how tight and hot it felt.  Eventually, their breathing evened out together.  "Lou?  You okay?"

"Yes, sir," came a calm, breathy voice.

"Louis, I need you to tell me.  Just this once."  Liam made sure his voice didn't break.

"It feels good, Liam, it feels really good and everything's green and I want you to come in me and I want to come and I need you to move and it's so hard to stay up right now…"

"Shh, shh, babe, okay, I understand.  You can let go now.  I've got you."

Louis' forehead fell against the bed again and Liam started to thrust, deep short snaps of his hips.  Louis cried out when Liam touched his cock, throbbing against his belly.  He stroked loosely as he got into a rhythm, matching the movement of his hands and hips.  He kept one hand on Louis' shoulder, steadying them.

Slowly, Liam allowed himself more forceful thrusts, pulling out farther and pushing in deeper.  He moved his hand into Louis' hair and tried to get a tight grasp, but the knot of the bandana stood in the way from locking his fingers properly.  After all that about letting Louis just feel, he impulsively tugged it off and got a hold the way he wanted.

Louis' face was buried into the bed so completely, Liam worried about him breathing.  "Face to the side," he ordered, and Louis complied.  Liam went back to his previous position, gripping Louis' shoulder, to take some of the pressure off of his neck but his even pace stuttered when he saw Louis' face.

Liam had spent the night covering Louis in bruises, skin coated in lube and sweat and come.  He had made Louis beg for release, but this was the most powerful he had ever felt.  Louis' face was red with tear tracks down his cheeks but the only tension found there was right between his brows.  His jaw was slack as small noises poured out freely every time Liam thrust in.  He felt like he was in complete control over every sensation in Louis' body.  He tightened his hand that still cupped Louis' dick and watched the way Louis jumped almost imperceptibly.

Liam slowed down, he just had to keep staring at Louis.  He lengthened the movement of his hips back and forth, concentrating on Louis with a firm grip, thumb rubbing at the ridge of his cock.  Liam shifted his other hand from Louis' shoulder back to his hips, dragging his nails down Louis' back again as he moved, harder, small raised scratches appearing as Louis gasped.

"You are so beautiful.  So good and you take it all so well.  You're amazing, how well you take everything I can give you."  The slower pace made Liam's thighs burn but he didn't care.  He wanted to watch Louis.  He was wrong.  They would have to do this the other way next time, where he might be able to lean down and kiss Louis.  He wanted that so much right now, to kiss his tears.

Eventually, the pain reached a point where he had to shift slightly, but when he did, a cracked scream escaped from an otherwise relaxed Louis.  He had hit Louis' prostate before with his fingers but clearly had not yet tonight while fucking.  Liam jerked to hit the same spot, and the same noise but louder came again.  

Finding a new angle that kept him brushing over the area brought Louis' right to the edge, eyes clenched, and he was pulling Liam over with him.  Liam tried to concentrate only on Louis but he could feel his orgasm so close.

"Please, please let me."  Liam was surprised by any words from Louis, so far under at this point.

He stroked Louis' hip with his thumb, a small tender movement as everything was building so quickly.  "I want you to come for me."  His orgasm came so fast and suddenly, Liam had no idea how Louis had been able to control it at all.  Before he could wonder about it, he felt Louis spasming around him, tightening in waves as he shot.  He wasn't prepared for the intensity of it and Liam came inside Louis with a shudder.

After coming, Liam wasn't sure he could move, barely balanced on his knees and holding Louis' waist tight.  Still, his cock was softening and he had to pull out, ignoring Louis' whines for a moment.  He tied the condom off and rested it on a tissue, unwilling to be away from Louis for even a second tonight.  He didn't care about the drying come on his dick or on Louis' stomach or on the sheets.  He cared about releasing Louis' wrists and pulling him close.

Liam wrapped his arms around Louis and guided him to his side so they could lay together, laying soft kisses along his shoulder blades until he returned from wherever it was he went when they got really intense.  He didn't even quite realize himself that he kept whispering "my beautiful boy, my perfect boy," over and over again between kisses until Louis giggled and said "I've got the idea now."

Louis was back in his body but he still looked drunk with his drooping eyes and loose smile.  He rolled on his back and nuzzled into Liam's shoulder.  "This bed is disgusting."  

"We aren't much better, but it can wait."  Liam smiled back down at him, knowing how Louis both loved and hated it when he stared.

"S'pose.  Oh, I hurt everywhere."  It made Liam laugh how Louis said it, so pleased.  He pulled Louis' wrists up and rubbed them, kissing the inside.  "You look satisfied with yourself."

"Mmmm, very."  Liam, for once, was the one that didn't want to talk.  He had his own haze around his head, memorizing little bits of tonight to carry with him.  Louis was content to lay there with him for awhile before squirming on the wet sheet.  "Alright, I get the idea.  I'm supposed to pretend I can walk now."  Liam felt a tremble in his thighs that made him worry he might actually fall over.

" _You_ can't?  I'll be lucky if I can sit down a week from now, with everything you've done to my arse tonight."  Liam snapped back to reality when Louis said that.  A week.  They won't be on tour in a week and Liam had no idea how that would affect everything.  He was the one who was supposed to know what was going on but he didn't want to make anything of it.

"Go get the shower ready and the towels out.  I'm going to call housekeeping for new sheets and pull these off.  Possibly hide them somewhere until we're about to check out."

Louis rolled off the bed, wincing as the sheets unstuck from him.  He stood next to the bathroom door, shifting from foot to foot.  "Anything else?"

Liam dropped the fitted sheet he was balling up back on the mattress and crossed the room in four strides, immediately crowding into Louis' space.  He dug his fingertips into Louis' red sore arse cheek and pulled him against him.  Their mouths collided in a heady kiss, Liam sucking Louis' tongue into his mouth before releasing him.  "Be quick about it?  Oh, and remember to get the cooling lotion from the bag and put it in the shower."  Louis shook his head.

Liam curled a finger under Louis' chin.  "Why not?"

"Don't want it."  It sounded almost childish until he pulled Liam's hand down with a heated stare.  "I told you I want them to last.  I want them to last and make me think of you."

Dumbstruck, Liam watched as Louis headed into the bathroom and he got another long look at Louis' bruised backside before the door closed.  He pulled the rest of the sheets off and threw them in the corner.  When he picked up the phone to order new sheets, he figured he might as well order breakfast at the same time, considering how bright it was behind the curtains.

Liam quickly jumped into the shower with Louis when he was almost done.  Louis insisted on washing him, a giggly slippery mess who kept stealing small pinches now that he could.  Liam was only able to break free because housekeeping knocked at the door and he hopped out, wrapping a towel around himself as he walked.

The bed was almost made before he heard Louis get out of the shower and dry off.  Liam finished drying himself off quickly and pulled on a loose pair of joggers before laying down on the bed with a big plate of eggs and bacon meant for sharing.  Louis got dressed out of Liam's suitcase, grabbing a hoodie and a pair of pants before curling into Liam's side on the bed.  He did lay down carefully on one side and winced slightly as he adjusted his dick, but he was smiling as he delightedly stole a big forkful of eggs from Liam's plate before fumbling for the remote.  Louis found cartoons amongst the maze of channels on the TV and enjoyed his half of the eggs.

Liam thought about how normal it was if he disconnected it from the earlier events.  Louis was so relaxed he almost looked like the boy he had been terrified of and frustrated with long ago.  Four years had made them so much older but they had come far together.  He never would have believed this was where they were heading, but they had promised to be there for each other through anything, and Liam was going to honor that promise.


	8. Chapter 8

For all their efforts as a group to make this tour less packed, everything seemed to pile up the week before break.  Liam definitely remembered being bored in hotel rooms before, albeit less so since this _whatever this was_ started with Louis, but lately every spare minute was filled with recording or meetings or phone calls about meetings.  Alone time with Louis when one or both of them wasn't ready to collapse into the mattress exhausted felt impossible to come by.  Liam didn't find the falling into bed part so bad since, no matter how tired, Louis would migrate next to him at some point during the night, curving himself along Liam's back.

They tried to make up for it during the day by sneaking off.  Almost getting caught in one of the bathroom cubicles backstage together, Liam stroking Louis hurriedly with his other hand over Louis' mouth, however, put a stop to that for the time being.  That had been less than twenty four hours ago and yet Liam could feel an itch under his skin just as easily as he could see an uneasiness in Louis' eyes when they crossed paths backstage earlier, Louis on the way to recording in the studio van and Liam in the opposite direction to film a quick promo clip.  Taking the week off from fooling around didn't sound so difficult until they tried it.  They went days between when they first started and it hadn't felt like this, or at least not this bad.

Liam inhaled slow and deep, reflexively trying to regain control over his racing heart, as he headed back to his hotel room.  Because of the situation, he had been trying other ideas lately, little nonsexual things, that would let Louis know he hadn't stopped paying close attention, but he wasn't so sure of his success.  Some were habits he'd already been doing for years, gripping Louis' neck to settle him or pinning his wrists when Louis wouldn't stop fidgeting.  Others had started along with everything else, asking Louis to complete some mundane task like folding his shirts while Liam watched before getting up to whisper to him what a good boy he had been.  It only looked mildly strange to everyone else that Louis suddenly had an interest in being tidy on the bus.

But there were also new things.  Two mornings ago, Liam sent Louis to Sarah to get their breakfast, telling him specifically what to get for both of them.  When Louis returned with their plates, he preened a little under Liam's approval and hidden squeeze, as he did most of the time when he complied with Liam's more conventional requests.  The thing was, when Liam did the same thing this morning, Louis never returned and brushed it off, saying that he had gotten distracted and avoiding Liam's gaze.  Liam could tell it wasn't Louis fishing for punishment the way he sometimes did.  Instead, his whole body radiated discomfort so Liam didn't press, ignoring "the list" this week when there was no time to dole out a spanking anyway.  It wasn't like they had hashed out any specifics about their activities outside the bedroom and he wanted to tread carefully.

Originally, Liam thought maybe it was just an issue of being around other people, but when he approached Louis in the green room the day before, slipping a hand into his back pocket, Louis had bristled in the same way.  It was a far cry from the week before when Louis would tease Liam into swatting at him even when they weren't completely alone.  Liam had planned to talk about it when they got back to the room that night, but Louis had returned to normal by then.  Well, this new normal where he begged Liam to fuck his mouth while he kept his hands clasped behind his back.  Louis slipped under so fully that he put up no resistance when Liam gathered him into the bed right afterwards and he fell asleep in Liam's arms, leaving his own cock ignored.

Liam was relieved when he opened the hotel room door to see a smiling Louis laying on the bed, wasting time with a quiz game on his phone.  The sight of Louis, clothed only in a loose pair of basketball shorts, hair still wet from the shower, ruined all of Liam's hard work to slow his heart rate.  It took every ounce of self-control not to straddle him there when they were supposed to be downstairs in the van in less than half an hour.  Tonight was the first of the two pre-break parties, this one for the band and crew only at some nearby restaurant, one with a large private back room ready to accommodate their rowdy crowd and their need for something other than fast food and craft services.

After spending the whole day apart, it was tempting to greet Louis with a kiss, but Liam wasn't sure how that would go over, so he busied himself with digging through the pile of clothes next to his luggage, a mix from both of their suitcases.  While it was a casual thing with people they saw every day, Liam was pretty sure they were meant to wear something slightly nicer than gym clothes.  "Everything went well earlier, then, I take it?"

"Yeah."  Louis sat up to the edge of the bed, grinning even wider.  "It's good enough when you get the track how you want it without a million takes, but when it's singing the words we wrote, it's fucking ace."

"It really is."  Liam stood up, having found a clean shirt in the pile for him to wear as well as a shirt and trousers for Louis.  Picking out Louis' clothes for him was becoming a more frequent habit.  It had started with Louis asking him about one shirt versus another, and then asking Liam to choose for him, and now he just laid out the clothes for Louis ahead of time or handed them to him like now.

Louis slipped his basketball shorts to the floor when he stood and Liam felt his cheeks heating up despite his best intentions.  As Louis bent over his bag, searching for a pair of boxers snug enough to fit under the skintight trousers he laughably still called jeans, Liam tried to distract himself by digging into his other bag for a hat.  He found a beanie for Louis too, but when his fingers slipped over his leather belt, it was like a jolt, immediately reminding him of his thoughts from last time.

"I would wear socks more often if I could ever find the fucking things, you know."  Louis was still bent over at the waist, bum on full display, completely mottled with dark purple marks, and Liam couldn't look away.  He threw the beanie on the bed and pulled Louis' hips against his from behind.

"Hope you're more careful getting dressed backstage.  Someone might worry about you."  Louis let out a gasp of surprise but relaxed against Liam, pressing against Liam's jeans even as he bit his lip from the ache of the bruises.

"Skateboarding accident is believable, innit?"  Maybe for the few marks that weren't covered by his boxers.  Liam dug his fingertips a bit harder into Louis' hips.

"It's so hot, knowing they're there all the time, just out of sight."

Louis hummed in agreement, but was already moving away and Liam let him.  "I know, but someone is going to be here to collect us soon, so…"  Once Louis got his pants on, Liam pulled him in by the elbow one more time, biting at his shoulder.  He probably shouldn't have but it was quick and wouldn't be visible since Liam had picked out one of Louis' few long-sleeved shirts.  No matter how brief it was, Liam missed the way Louis whined in response too much to resist.

A knock on the door kept him from doing any more damage.  "Speak of the devil…" Louis muttered as he pulled on his jeans.  Once they were buttoned up, Liam opened the door to find Zayn there and let him in.

"Kipping together a few nights is one thing, now you're getting dressed together too.  Aren't you sick of being in each other's pockets yet?"

Louis knocked Zayn on the shoulder as he went for his shirt.  "Four years and I'm not sick of you yet."  Liam had a small panic when he realized Zayn definitely noticed that Louis showered here too and also possibly noticed the red parentheses of teeth marks on Louis' shoulder.  "Besides, lost my hat.  Liam doesn't lose things."

Changing his shirt gave Liam a convenient way to hide his face until he stopped blushing and Zayn didn't say a word about either thing, continuing the fighting banter with Louis.  "Liam loses plenty of things, mostly from you taking them.  And you coulda borrowed one of mine, our rooms are right next to each other."

Louis pulled the knit beanie on definitively, tucking his fringe in place under the edge.  "But I don't steal your hats.  I steal his."

Liam grabbed his snapback and a jacket before pushing them out of the room, both amiably giggling now.  "C'mon, Niall's already going to have started drinking without us."

\----

Liam was supposed to have left forty-five minutes ago, but he didn't move out from under the rushing water of the showerhead.  They had drivers for a reason, and he could be the late one this time.  Besides, he hadn't heard Louis come in the room yet, and he couldn't believe Louis had gone to the effort of stealing clothes from Caroline's racks just to avoid going back to the room.  Avoiding the room really meant avoiding Liam.

His hope that Louis wasn't doing that was great enough that he had laid out clothes for Louis on the bed next to his own before getting in the shower.  The vest he put out for Louis was one of his own, but Liam liked the way the oversized neckline let the script of Louis' tattoos dance along the edge.  He picked it figuring, even if he couldn't bite at Louis' collarbones when they were surrounded by everyone, he could at least enjoy looking at them.  Liam scrubbed his scalp harder to move the image from his mind.

Liam was rinsing the soap from his hair when he heard the room door open and shut.  He rushed to finish, hearing more doors and drawers open and close, but there was a final slam before he could manage to get out.  He exited the bathroom, still dripping on the floor, to see the jeans he had chosen for Louis were gone, but the shirt wasn't, and every pair of shoes Louis had with him were in a pile on the floor, less one pair of checkered Vans.

He tried not to think anything of it as he got dressed in the clothes he had left out for himself, until all that was left on the bed was the left behind shirt that he balled up and threw in a drawer.  It was just a shirt.  It was silly.  It wasn't worth a cross text over something as silly as a shirt.  Louis, of course, could wear his own clothes if he felt like it.  But it was another confusing event in a series that left Liam feeling increasingly off balance.

The past two days, Louis had been a storm cloud whenever Liam saw him, except for when the sun would peek out and catch him off guard.  He concentrated on those sunny times, how when Louis was happy around him lately, he was contagiously so, and he put the closed off looks and pinched smiles out of his mind.  Liam chalked those up to homesickness and exhaustion and just needing some space away from the three ring circus that was life on tour.  People were allowed off days without having serious in-depth discussions about them.

Except for the nagging worry that it was his fault; something he had done or hadn't done, he wasn't sure.  Or maybe something someone else had done because of him, because of how they were acting together.  All Liam knew was that things had been decidedly worse since going to the party earlier in the week, the occasional strop now transformed into a full blown dark mood, and when he scanned his mind trying to figure out what had changed, one incident stood out in particular.

He and Louis had been on top of each other throughout that night, but not any different than normal as far as he could tell.  They rode there together with Zayn and sat next to each other through the meal, elbowing each other and laughing at secret jokes.  Even once they were off in their own conversations, standing around chatting afterwards, they always stayed nearby in reaching distance.  The only time Louis moved more than ten feet away from him was to nab the bag of Haribo stashed in Lou's oversized purse, hidden under her chair.  After that, Louis didn't join another conversation, rather entertaining himself with a game of his own devising.

Liam didn't even notice at first that Louis hadn't stolen them to eat, distracted as he joked around with a few of the general security guys.  They were comparing previous jobs, teasing that they had a harder time keeping the boys _in_ than fans _out_ , and Liam laughed goodnaturedly.  Most had come to a resigned acceptance of the band's behaviour, but one of the guys, Mike, was still fairly new and not used to their escapades, particularly Louis'.  Liam felt an aggressive surge of overprotectiveness when Mike tried to make a joke about how he was gonna cut the brakes so Louis wouldn't steal a golf cart again.  When Liam instinctively reached for Louis, he wriggled out of Liam's grip so he could continue launching gummies across the room as he had been, aiming for the back of Harry's head like his bun was a bull's eye.

Harry didn't seem to mind that much, occasionally catching one of the candies by chance, but the majority were littered over the cement floor surrounding him.  However, it was a bit difficult for Liam to defend Louis' maturity while he was flinging perfectly good sweets at people.  Liam tried pinching Louis' side a few times to get him to stop but Louis just laughed and swatted Liam's hand away.  Liam tried again, nudging closer, and then crossed his body over Louis' to whisper in his ear, "Don't you think you should go clean that up?"  Louis resisted at first but then Liam added, "So I can see you bent over like earlier," with a quick pinch over one of the bruises on Louis' thigh.

Liam was in a daze as he watched Louis walk away to carry out the task, not quite believing he really said those things surrounded by other people.  Sometimes Louis made him forget where he was.  That was why he didn't really process at first when Mike asked him, "Wanna share?"

Liam did a double take and coughed before saying, "Excuse me - what?"

"Wanna share the secret for getting him to do what you say?"  Mike repeated with a smirk.  "It would make my job a lot easier."

Liam settled into an uncomfortable laugh as he kept his eyes on Louis, glad he hadn't been here to hear that since he would have prickled at the idea of doing what anyone else said to, except when he wanted.  Josh joined the group just in time to hear Mike's questions and thought it was hilarious.  He had no problem answering in lieu of Liam's silence.  "Liam's the secret.  Louis doesn't listen to anyone else but Payno."

Mike raised his eyebrows with an appraising look.  "So that's the way of it around here, terror for everyone else, but your good little boy."  Everyone in the circle laughed at the offhand comment that was closer to home than they could have possibly known.  Defensiveness curled in Liam's belly.  This guy hadn't seen Louis at his best recently and there were plenty of times when Louis was the responsible one, getting them through tedious meetings and following up on every last detail, and Liam was the terror, giggling and making rude jokes rather than letting a presenter do their job.

But none of that came out, just stunned silence as he processed someone else calling Louis his, that kind of ownership so obvious.  Josh piped up again, making it worse and coming to Liam's rescue all at the same time, "Yep.  All his, and Liam doesn't do a lot of sharing of Louis these days."

Louis did manage to hear that, coming up behind Liam and hooking his chin over Liam's shoulder mid-sentence.  At first, Louis scoffed, insisting, "I'm not his to be passed around or something," but then he laughed it off and smacked Liam upside the head, as if that established who was in charge of whom in their relationship.  Even so, he proceeded to spend the rest of the night attached to Zayn instead.

When Liam went to leave hours later, though, Louis slid right next to him into the van back to the hotel.  Louis had drunk enough that he spent most of the ride with his head in Liam's lap.  Liam hadn't thought much about it when he ran his fingers absentmindedly through Louis' hair until Louis was nuzzling into his thigh, placing small kisses along the seam of his jeans.  It hadn't led anywhere, falling asleep in a drunken tangle as soon as they reached the bed, but Liam hoped at the time it meant Louis hadn't cared what someone said and just wanted to spend some time with one of his other best friends who was going to be away from him for two weeks.

There was no time for him to ask.  Neither bothered packing neatly the next morning when they woke up late.  Liam shoved their clothes in one bag, unsorted.  There hadn't been time before the show in the next city either.  Afterwards, he thought, maybe, but then Louis stayed on the bus with Zayn past three and Liam was convinced he wasn't going to come to the hotel at all.  He did, though, reeking of pot and pressing against Liam insistently with the shallow rutting of his hips.  Liam was almost asleep and pulled on Louis' hair to stop him, but, in his sleepy stupor, reflexively kissed Louis when the tug elicited a quiet moan.  They settled into lazy makeouts before drifting off.  That morning, Liam only saw Louis for a brief minute when he got up uncharacteristically early, which at least avoided the question of if they were still doing the breakfast thing or not.

Liam texted him later that he would see him at two for sound check and Louis texted back "yessir" but he couldn't decipher if it was force of habit or a poor joke.  Liam felt out of sorts not knowing if Louis was truly upset or just being grumpy.  That was supposed to be Liam's area of expertise, and he couldn't tell now whether he was supposed to give Louis some space or an orgasm.  It was a strange place to be in with your best friend.

Right now, Louis was clearly taking that space for himself, having come and gone and leaving Liam to head to the party alone.  The group had finished their last show before the break and somebody local and important had rented a house for a big party nominally in their honor.  The boys were expected to attend, even if Liam wasn't sure he was in the mood.  

Liam rode to the party by himself.  He wandered through the front door and around the sunken living room, smiling and hugging every person he recognized as he passed, but he didn't see Louis.  Liam was a good enough popstar to know how to be gracious when in an off mood, but he avoided getting dragged into any conversations.  Not having Louis waiting for him was bothering him more than he could admit.  It was a relief when he found Harry sitting on the stairs, polystyrene cup in hand but not paying much attention to it.

Liam sat down next to him on the step just below, exchanging a silent smile and nod.  Harry was a great person to be quiet with.  He would occasionally speak up with some non sequitur, a snippet of a dream or a line from a song that stuck with him, and they could talk about it or Harry was just as happy to let it float away.

It was at least another ten minutes until Liam finally spotted Louis, fake smile plastered on, talking to someone Liam didn't recognize.  Liam bit hard into his cheek when he realized the shirt Louis ended up with was one of Harry's more sedate button downs, worn open over a white tee.  That sharp pang of jealousy towards Harry was something Liam hadn't felt in a long time.  It wasn't justified then and it wasn't now either.  Harry sitting next to him probably didn't even realize, since he would be hard pressed to tell you which pieces in his bag were originally his and which were Nick's but had left the country with Harry anyway.

Louis must have felt something, because when he looked up from the unknown partygoer, he locked eyes with Liam right away.  Liam's chest unclenched when the look he got from Louis was crinkly and happy, slowly turning more heated.  Then, without warning, Louis looked away, made his apologies to the other guest and headed directly for the kitchen without turning back to Liam.  It was as if Louis was suddenly as unreadable as he was the day they met and he couldn't figure out if Louis was avoiding him further or beckoning him to the kitchen.  Liam could barely keep a line of sight on him as Louis moved through the crowd but he finally settled in front of the fridge, presumably evaluating the beer selection.

The DJ transitioned into the next track and the familiar horns of _Talk Dirty_ triggered a roar from the party.  Zayn and Niall had been in the kitchen getting fresh drinks, but they, along with most everyone else, headed to the makeshift dance floor in the dining room as soon as they heard the call.  Louis was motionless as a statue when Niall pushed past him, dragging Zayn behind.  Harry gave Liam's knee a quick squeeze as he shambled to catch up with them.  It was fair that Louis was tired of the song, considering they all should be by now, experts that they were at running a joke into the ground, but Niall didn't get tired of things like that and Zayn and Harry didn't get tired of making Niall laugh.  If Louis hadn't followed suit, maybe it was because he was waiting for Liam to come find him.

The kitchen was emptier when Liam got there, but Louis was still staring at the glowing shelves full of bottles.  Liam edged behind him, back against the marble island, before sliding a finger along the waistband of Louis' pants that rode an inch or two above his jeans.  He thought about the bruising that started right where his fingertip brushed.  Instead of leaning back or squirming out of reach, Louis shifted his hips away without a word and grabbed a Bud Light before slamming the fridge shut.

There was a second where Liam even braced himself for Louis to lash out at him for touching him like that, but instead, it was more of the same.  Nothing explosive or definitive, totally normal one minute and then chilly and disinterested the next.  It was obvious, though, that Louis was trying to get away from him as fast as possible right now if a Bud Light looked like a good choice.  Liam knew it would have been better to let Louis go, to wait until the mood passed or at least until they were alone, but Louis physically pulling away from him cut him deeply.

He reached out and caught Louis' elbow.  Louis' joints were stiff but he moved a few inches closer willingly, looking anywhere but at Liam, which doubled Liam's worries.  No matter how good this new dimension of their relationship could be sometimes, there was nothing in the world worth damaging the friendship they had first and Liam was determined to mend whatever he had broken.

"Louis, wait.  What's going on?"  Liam hated the question as soon as he asked it, but he had no better idea to go on.  Louis' response to such a general question was predictably vague.  He shrugged his shoulders, mumbled _nothing_ , and started to walk away again.  Liam tightened his grip and tugged Louis next to him, lips against the shell of Louis' ear.  "Louis, talk to me."

It was force of habit when Liam said it with an edge, the way Louis would tease, made him sound like the Daddy of the group.  Sometimes Liam was lucky and it worked a charm, triggering something in Louis that calmed him, but now, it backfired spectacularly into a tantrum.  After slamming his bottle down on the countertop hard enough that some of the liquid sloshed out, Louis grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him down the hall to one of the dozen bedrooms of the rented house.

Louis was a little red in the face when he finally turned back towards Liam, keeping an unnatural distance between them.  He didn't bother waiting for the conversation to escalate into a fight, starting at a shout that still couldn't be heard outside the room over the music.  "You don't get to tell me what to do all the time!"

Liam blinked, dumbfounded by how quickly Louis had heated up, but it unraveled his grip on his own frustrations.  "If you don't want me to, that's fine, but how am I supposed to know when you do and when you don't?"  There was a tremor in Liam's voice because every time he felt he finally had a handle on what was going on, that he was truly as in control as he looked and sounded, something would happen to shake them.  Right now, it wasn't just a shake - it felt like the ground was falling out from under him.  Louis paced back and forth before answering, ignoring Liam's questioning stare to concentrate on the carpet.

"This isn't just fucking," Louis spit out, anger directed towards himself now.  Liam risked taking a step closer.

"It was never just fucking."  Liam tried to sound understanding, that he knew this was complicated in ways they weren't sure of, bleeding into corners of their daily lives in ways they hadn't expected.  He couldn't imagine Louis not knowing that Liam treated this way more seriously than _just fucking_.

If anything, Liam thought Louis would pull away for the opposite reason, afraid of how invested Liam was in this now, far beyond friendly concern for Louis or his own sexual satisfaction.  There was a mix of responsibility that he hadn't shied away from, and pride that still surprised him, but also affection, adoration even.  It hadn't truly surprised Liam considering the intimacy their friendship had always held, he just hadn't known what to do with it.

Louis acted like he hadn't heard Liam.  "I didn't think - I thought wanting it so badly would go away."  He heaved a breath and tugged lightly at his own hair.  "That I just had to get it out of my system."  It wasn't that long ago Louis could admit that he didn't just want this, he needed it, even if he didn't know why, but now doubt crept into Liam and he wondered if Louis had just been trying to reassure him.  Liam couldn't believe that the transformed Louis that only he saw, quiet and relaxed, wasn't real, but the same thing that had calmed Louis had driven him to this agitated state now, just because he wanted more.

Anything else Liam said wouldn't help if the argument was about what Louis wanted, not what Liam was doing.  He felt helpless as Louis stood there, a live wire.  Liam wanted to be the one to ground him but maybe he had lost that option for right now.  Instead, Louis settled for sitting on the the edge of the bed, curled in on himself and heels bouncing.

"We said slow and I pushed for more.  I dragged you into this.  This was a mis-"  Liam interrupted him, encircling him in a tight squeeze.  He should have respected Louis' space but there were times Louis got so spun up he didn't know what else to do.  Louis sounded as insecure as when he had first told Liam about what he wanted and he had done the same thing then, communicating in touch what he couldn't in words.

Louis didn't move into it or push away, but he did stop talking.  Liam could hear the music that reverberated through the rest of the house, song shifting to another club banger, but not one as insanely popular.  The clock was ticking now on when people would start looking for them.  Liam kept listening as an excuse to think about something other than what Louis was saying to him.

"It wasn't.  It isn't."   Liam was determined to could fix whatever had gone wrong, but he would never say all of it was a mistake.  Some of the websites Liam had ordered supplies from had things like how-to books and he would figure out how to be better.  He was rubbish with books but it was worth a try.  It's not like he had a lot planned for the break once he was back in London after a few days of meetings in LA.  Sophia wouldn't even be in town until the second week because of work.

Sophia.  It was one thing not to mention what was going on with Louis when they only had minutes to talk most days and they had agreed not to talk about anyone else, but that's when they were apart.  His feelings for Louis may have been intensifying, but they hadn't lessened his feelings for her in any way and he would have to tell her in person, but he wasn't sure now if it was something that was happening, or had happened and was over.

There was one clear option left to offer Louis that Liam hated every time it came to him.  Taking a break never meant anything good in any of his prior relationships, but what else was there?  The idea made Liam's chest hurt all over again and he wondered if Louis would ever believe if Liam told him how important this had been to him.  All of the awkwardness he had convinced himself they had avoided came rushing in at this moment.

"Vacation is coming up, yeah?  We can take a break and you can tell me what you want when we're back."  The words burned in Liam's throat.   _If_ Louis still wanted anything.  It wasn't like they were canceling any big plans, but it felt like this meant he couldn't even call him when he missed him, which he inevitably would in less than two days.  Liam let his chin rest on the top of Louis' head and resisted the urge to place a kiss in his hair.  "Remember, anything you want?  This was all for you, Louis."

Louis extracted himself from Liam's arms and nodded tightly, still not looking up as he got up to head back out into the busyness.  He was still facing away, a hand rubbing at his face, when he spoke up.  "I'll just - I'm gonna head to the bus or something, maybe sleep there."

Liam nodded too, but he couldn't have felt more like a failure if he tried.  Louis exited the room in a hurry and Liam didn't try to keep up or chase after him.  Liam's feet dragged as he walked back to the kitchen, crowded again with people.  Louis was already lost to the crush of people heading in and out.

Someone bumped into Liam in the hallway but he didn't mind as it bumped him forward towards the designated bar area on the kitchen counter, set up by those that didn't have the patience to wait at the staffed bars.  Liam was fine with fixing his own drink if only so he could make it doubly strong, ready to catch up to the rest of the party.

Between the vodka in his cup and the cigarette smoke in the air, Liam had perfectly good justification for his eyes watering.  He asked the woman smoking behind him if he could bum one from her and she happily complied, winking as she lit it for him.  It was his first in almost a month but the nicotine did as he’d hoped, numbing the buzzing part of his brain.

Running on autopilot, Liam found an empty chair in the corner of the living room and sunk into it.  He dimly wondered where the rest of the boys were, but then he wondered if Louis had said anything to them, even let them know he was leaving.  That led to him thinking about if he should say anything to Louis in the morning which led to thinking about what he should say to Sophia in a week and Liam took a big gulp of his drink to quiet it all.

He just needed to get through the next twelve hours, less really since Louis' flight to London was earlier than his.  Maybe Liam would pack up Louis' things for him when he got back to the room, to show him it wasn't a one way street and to save them a few minutes of discomfort in the morning.  Then he would pack his own and fly to LA, maybe fit some studio time in to stay busy and get wrapped up in something other than his thoughts.  That could be good, even if Liam always liked the songs he wrote with Louis best.

More songs began and ended.  Liam finished his drink and wasn't sure how the next one got in his hand, but he finished that one too.  He was never so happy as when Zayn plopped down at his feet, high as a kite, and started rambling over the music about a new band he found.  It felt normal, comfortable, and there was nothing complicated about Zayn resting his head on Liam's knee.

Liam wasn't sure how long it had been since Zayn stopped talking until the quiet was ended by Niall collapsing on top of Liam, insisting there was room for both of them on the chair.  He protested, shoving and giggling, but it felt nice, all crowded into each other's space even if it was warm in the house to begin with.  Liam didn't bother following the conversation much until he heard Louis' name.

"Oi, I know where Harry went," Zayn said with a raised eyebrow, "but where's Louis?"

"Apparently got ahead of himself with shots or something.  You were right there when he said he was headed to the buses to sleep it off, you feckin' stoner."  Niall gave Zayn a little smack against his head, but Zayn smiled up at him all the same.  So Louis hadn't said he left because of Liam.

Strengthened by his best mates around him, Liam silently resolved that, in the morning, he would give Louis a big hug and remind him that he loves him, that they would start their two weeks apart on a good note.  Liam wouldn't make Louis feel bad or guilty because he had the strength to walk away if that's what Louis needed.  That's why Louis had trusted him with this in the first place.

Liam made an effort to pay attention now, satisfied if not pleased by his decision and buoyed by his friends.  He laughed and made jokes and wrestled with Niall until they were both on the floor with Zayn.  Eventually, Paddy and the others rounded them into a van and got them back to the hotel, pushing them into the elevators as necessary.

It wasn't until after Liam fell into bed around five that he realized he didn't trip over a pile of shoes in the dark.  He was so tired he was ready to go to sleep with his jeans still on, but he fumbled with a lamp to see what he had already figured out, tipsy or not.  Louis had stopped at the room already and his luggage was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't expect this chapter to somehow be even longer than the one before! Sorry I had to make them fight, but all so they can make up. Best get to working on all that making up now...
> 
> Emily and Kelty continue to be irreplaceable.
> 
> If you'd be interested in beta-ing/brit picking a longer footie 1D AU, find me on twitter @qdpoisson. Or if you just want to be friends. *waves hi to new friends*


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been almost finished for a week and the smallest things held it up but now it is complete and I hope you enjoy some of how the conflict resolves (it's still an ongoing process though).

Eleanor managed to wait twenty-four hours after Louis landed in London before bringing up that they needed to talk.  She gave Louis a full day to veg out and get reaquainted with their flat and see some friends before addressing what was different this time from the last time they saw each other.  She had needed the day too, to fall back into their habits, remember how they fit around each other, and reassure herself he wasn't jetting off any minute again.

When they agreed to do this months ago, Eleanor worried she would be upset or uncontrollably jealous after Louis told her Liam agreed to participate in their "experiment."  Instead, she grew more excited and interested with any rare detail Louis would share over the phone.  Talking about it face-to-face, she nervously acknowledged, might feel different, but it was something they needed to do.

In some ways, it seemed like nothing had changed at all, and it would have been easy to ignore it, act like they hadn't kissed other people, and more, since the last time they were together.  But that wasn't the agreement.  They both were the type to skip heavy relationship talks if they could, which was why they had to specifically promise themselves that they would talk about what they were doing, opening their relationship, as it went, lest it snowball into a bigger problem.  On the other hand, Louis just seemed so exhausted and deserved a chance to recharge.

When she met him at the airport, she stayed in the car to avoid the crowds.  She watched him through the window though, Louis swallowed up in his oversized hoodie as he finished his cigarette.  When he got in the car, he slid in wordlessly, just a sleepy smile before pressing into her side and lacing their fingers together.  There was no small talk to catch up on, having texted most of the plane ride.  It was this, just being together and touching, that they had to get as much of as they could before it was time to leave again.

Eleanor offered to stop for food on the way or even fix something from the cupboard at home but Louis shook his head to both.  Instead, he headed straight to the bedroom of their flat after walking in the front door, shedding bags as he went.  The clothes he wore on the plane for hours were immediately traded for a pair of joggers and a loose shirt.  There was a mug of tea ready and waiting on the dresser before he was even out of the toilet.  Eleanor wasn't one to wait on him hand and foot but she always gave him a free pass for the first few hours he was home.

The plane landed at eleven at night but she assumed Louis would be wide awake, still on American time.  Instead, he begged off any talk right away, saying he hadn't slept the night before to try and get ahead of the jet lag.  He still downed half the mug before sliding under the covers, arm wrapped tight around her waist.

Around four in the morning, Eleanor awoke to Louis' lips dragging kisses along her neck, eyes closed like he was still half asleep.  She couldn't tell exactly how awake Louis was, but part of him was most assuredly alert, grinding lightly against her.  She shifted her hips and tugged on his until the two of them were lined up with him almost on top of her, his cock hardening further and nudging against her clit.  By then, Louis had woken up enough to take care of the thrusting, licking as far down her neck and chest as her camisole would allow him, but it was up to Eleanor to work out the condom and sliding their clothes out of the way just enough.

Foreplay and teasing would have to wait until tomorrow.  Right now, they were just hungry for each other, evidenced by how easily he slid into her.  Louis came quickly from his harsh thrusts, and Eleanor held him in place despite his oversensitive whimpers, until the base of his cock shifted against her just right.  She bit into his shoulder through the thin shirt material as her orgasm pulsed through her.  After that, they laid there panting just long enough to get the condom balled up in a tissue.  This time when they fell asleep, Eleanor wrapped around Louis, fingers tangled in the hem of his shirt.

They woke up early enough the next day for breakfast, which consisted primarily of pastry Eleanor threw in the toaster oven to heat up.  The first half of the day was spent on the couch in a tangled love pile, watching some half-dozen recorded Big Brother episodes, before venturing out for lunch with a few of El's uni friends.

While they hadn't bothered getting particularly dressed up for lunch, their dinner reservations were at a proper posh restaurant which required looking slightly nicer even if she hoped no one would be taking their photo tonight.  Eleanor had to drag Louis into the shower with her instead of taking another nap, but once there, he found a way to make the most of it.  Primarily, he spent it making sure every inch of Eleanor was clean rather than himself.  It seemed likely her breasts would literally sparkle they were so clean with the amount of attention he lavished on them with his soapy hands.

Eventually, it felt like the only way he was going to actually use the shower for its intended purpose was if she got out, but when she tried, he tugged her back in by the waist.  She gently pushed at him in joking protest until he dropped to his knees and guided her backwards, pressing her against the wall of the shower.  The tiles still held the slightest chill but the shiver she felt was more related to the way Louis was nuzzling against the crease of her thigh before lifting one of her legs over his shoulder.  Her balance was a bit precarious until Louis' hands went to her waist, pinning her there as he started to tease her with his tongue.  She tried one more time to remind him that they were on a deadline but the words were replaced by moans as he concentrated his efforts until she was gasping and her thigh trembled against his cheek.  It took a bit of rushing after that but Eleanor was sure no one noticed her hair wasn't quite dry nor that she hadn't needed blusher to pinken her cheeks.

Going out for dinner was nice, but when they got back home again, Eleanor knew this was the best chance so far to talk and putting it off longer wouldn't help anything.  She hoped the bottle of wine they split during the meal would aid in the process, but there was another chilling in the fridge if necessary.  They made their way to the sofa without it for now, Louis collapsing into the cushions, limbs splayed.

Eleanor fell next to him, her short dress riding up when she threw her feet into his lap.  "We do need to talk about it, you know," she started.  An anxious giggle escaped her, staring intently at her heels as she took them off rather than meeting Louis' eyes.  It felt so awkward to start, even if it didn't feel like it was going to be an emotional discussion.  "Face-to-face, not just on the phone."

"Right.  So is everything going well with your..."  Eleanor chewed her lip and nodded, blushing lightly.  Louis already knew from their phone conversations that it was, that she and Abby had gone on a dozen dates and she had spent the night at Abby's place a few times.  Louis hesitated a bit more before asking, "Did you miss me?"  At that, she overcame her tentativeness.

"You idiot," she squeaked.  "That's the stupidest question I've ever heard.  Of course I missed you."  She pulled him back against her in a big hug and wrapped her legs around his waist in an effort to prove it.  Once octopused around him, she ventured a question of her own.  "And you've been enjoying your part of this experiment?"  

She kissed along his neck to ease him into answering the question.  She knew bits and pieces but Louis hadn't shared as much as she had over the phone, not much more than the milestones he and Liam had reached.  Louis carefully answered, "Yes," stretching out the syllable in a way that worried her.

"What does that mean?"  Eleanor ran her nails through his hair as a further comfort.

Louis hesitated but he relaxed under her touch.  "It means it was going well and then... I don't know."

"Start from the beginning."

He did.  Louis went as far back as that initial conversation with Liam, right after he had talked to her, and how Liam unknowingly took a step towards their new dynamic when he held him tight and growled in his ear.  Eleanor's fingers tightened in Louis' hair for a second as he described it.  She moved both of her hands over Louis' chest instead, ankles still locked around his waist, as they both leaned back into the couch.

Her hands moved in slow circles on his belly, slipping between the buttons of his shirt and popping them open as she went,  encouraging him to go into far more detail than he had on the phone as he described the different ways Liam had tied him up or restrained him.  She smiled into his neck when he blushed about sucking cock for the first time, amused that he could be embarrassed about something she had been doing for a good bit longer than him.  But she remembered what first times felt like, uncertain and new, having had her own share of firsts recently.  By the time he got to telling her about fingering himself open for Liam the first time, Eleanor could see the tent in Louis' slacks and dragged her fingertips over him.

When Louis hesitated, another wave of self-consciousness passing over him, Eleanor pressed her palm against his cock, causing him to moan before continuing again.  Louis' eyes were shut tight as he tried to enumerate all the places Liam had spanked him, burning with shame but also arousal.  Eleanor was sure she was flushed too, the mental image of Louis over Liam's lap like that turning her on more than she could handle, even the parts about Liam needing to hold Louis afterwards.  She had done her fair share of slapping Louis or digging her nails into his back but she had never been able to push Louis over the edge like that.

Finally, Louis reached the previous week in his recollection, when Liam had penetrated him for the first time.  Louis swallowed hard, trying to explain.  "It, uh, didn't take long to get me ready, after everything before that night.  But I had already come once and three fingers felt like so much but I still wanted more and - fuck.  Are you sure you want to hear this?"

Eleanor surprised herself when she let out a small moan before speaking, "You have no idea.  Keep talking."  She was painfully aware anytime either of them shifted as it gave a ghost of pressure against her clit.

Louis tried to, but he let out a gasping moan of his own when Eleanor slipped her hand under the waistband of his slacks.  "I have no idea what I said, it's hard to think sometimes when we're like that, but I know I was begging Li to do it.  He told me how good I was going to take his cock and, God, I wanted to.  I - he blindfolded me, even though I was on my knees and my face was into the bed.  Said he just wanted me to feel."  Louis sounded almost choked trying to get the words out, even as his cock was dripping, the memory exciting him further.  "Before, before he did it, he scratched down my back and everything was so sensitive.  He'd spent an hour beating me but just his nails, I felt like my skin was on fire.  And then he did it.  He was gentle and checked in and everything, he's good like that, but I could barely take it already, it felt so - I don't know have words for it, it was just so good."

She stroked him as he continued, rambling on about feeling so tight and full.  He tried to even go into how light he felt as he handed all the control to Liam.  "I was tied up but it wouldn't have mattered,  I don't think I could have moved.  Couldn't control anything, the noises I was making, the way I was breathing.  It was happening to me and I could hear myself but at the same time, I felt like I was somewhere else, floating.  It sounds so weird but it feels so good, El.  God, I don't even know how but I managed to wait to come until I had permission.  Just wanted so badly to be good."

Eleanor knew all of Louis' tells that he was getting close, the stilted jerking of his hips, the hissing noise as he tried to suck in another breath.  When he reached behind him to lace his fingers in her hair, she whispered, "Not yet."  His grip immediately tightened but he held on, even as he thrust into her hand wrapped around him.  "Tell me what it was like when he came inside you."

"It was right after he let me come.  Fuck, I was concentrating so hard on not coming and then all of a sudden, everything was happening.  I thought I was going to fall apart but I didn't want it to end."  Louis was barely getting a breath between each word, whining, "Felt so possessed.  Owned."

"Now."  The second she said the word, Louis released like a taut rubber band, shooting all over his belly and her hand.  Nothing shocked her more than when he lifted her hand to his mouth and licked her palm clean, but she stared raptly all the same.  It was one thing to hear it described and another to watch and feel his tongue curling around her fingers covered in his come, something Louis never would have done before.

Finally, he let his head fall back against her shoulder while he caught his breath.  Eleanor used her clean hand to scrape against his scalp until Louis roused enough again to clean up.  He slipped his unbuttoned shirt off and used it quickly to wipe up his stomach and her other hand before tossing it aside.

Louis tapped on Eleanor's leg, wrapped loosely over his thigh after she had needed access to his waist, to release him and he leaned forward to settle on the opposite corner of the couch.  In doing so, he leaned forward and his slacks and pants had both slid low enough that Eleanor could make out the blue and purple marks along the top of his arse.  She reached out and traced them lightly with her fingertips, fascinated, but Louis jumped a little.  Once he was settled back on the couch, he beckoned Eleanor closer to lay on his chest.  She let him continue to get away with not looking her in the eye while they talked a little longer.

She started again after it was clear Louis wasn't going to do much but play with her hair until pushed.  "So the good part sounds pretty good.  What's wrong then?"

"Well, it's just - " Louis started and stopped with a huff of breath.  "It's hard to know where it begins and ends, yeah?  It started getting into everything and I know I asked for it.  But, like, it's one thing to like being tied up, that's a bedroom thing, but having someone tell you what to eat, what to wear?"

Eleanor hid her grin behind her hand.  "Louis, who picked out both restaurants today?"

Louis shrugged before answering, "You did."

"Who told you what shirt to wear to dinner tonight?" she continued.

"You did…"  Louis seemed to be getting the idea.

"You spend all day making so many decisions and thinking about so many things.  Normally you're the one telling people what to do."

Louis puffed his chest out a little at the assertion.  "I'm good at it."

"Right.  But when someone you trust can take even the smallest thing off your plate, it feels good, yeah?"

He nodded with a distracted look as the pieces fell into place and then kissed in her hair.  "How are you so good at this?"

"Because I know you.  Just because I wasn't the right person to do it doesn't mean I don't understand it."

"And you're really not bothered?"

"If I was going to trust someone else with you, I can't think of someone better than Liam.  He might love you almost as much as I do."  She turned to face him, elbows tucked on each side of him.  "Promise me you won't wait til the end of the break to talk to him.  Call him."

"I will.  I was awful to him, you know, yesterday.  Should have called you to sort me out before I went and yelled at him."

"Yes, you should have, but he'll forgive you anyway.  Just promise me.  Tomorrow."

"Alright then, I said I will.  Now, I think it's only fair I hear about your exploits now."  He leaned down to bite hard on her neck and slid a hand up her skirt.

\----

Liam was half asleep when his phone rang, digging it out from under the duvet.  If he had any sense, he should have been out cold for hours, considering he'd spent the day running at top speed.  The closest he had gotten to relaxing was a few hours of studio time but now he had bits of the new loop Julian played for him running in his head.  There was a sheet of incomplete lyrics crumpled on the bed next to him, but he wasn't really happy with any of them so far.

He managed to find the phone before it went to voicemail, but just barely, and there was only a brief moment to process the name on the screen before he needed to answer.  Caught off guard, he said the first thing that came into his mind from the telly that night.  "OK, what's our back story?"

Louis' familiar if startled laugh on the other side warmed Liam's belly and Louis didn't disappoint him, picking up the movie reference right away.  "Are we really - alright... We're brothers from New Hampshire.  Venture capitalists."

It wasn't that Liam had spent his evening thinking of Louis and his laugh and his favorite things obsessively, but Wedding Crashers was what he settled on when flipping through the channels, flashing back to when they watched it together after shows over and over last tour.

"I'm sick of that.  Let's be from Virginia.  Let's start a maple syrup company."  Liam didn't know what came next and was beginning to regret starting a game he knew he couldn't keep up with.

"Idiot, that's not even - Liam," Louis' tone shifted, quieter.  Their laughing faded to an awkward silence and Liam remembered why he should have been surprised to see Louis' name, that Louis was upset with him.  Would Louis be calling if he was still mad?  Liam wondered if he had been drunk dialed, as he tried to figure out the time difference, forgetting to listen to what Louis was saying in the process.

He jumped in to ask Louis to stop and start over.  "Sorry, um.  Just give me a second.  What time is it there?"  Liam rubbed his eyes in an effort to wake up a bit more.

"Half twelve.  Why, what time is it…  Oh god," Louis said, realizing his mistake.  "You're not in London."

"No, LA."  Liam smiled, despite himself.  "Only an eight hour difference."

"Oh my god, I'm a fucking twat.  I call to say I'm sorry for being a twat and I end up just being more of one."  

Louis was sorry.  It felt safe for Liam to assume that meant Louis wasn't upset with him anymore, at least not in a way they couldn't fix.  "Don't worry about it.  Wasn't asleep anyway.  Even if I had been, hearing from you is worth waking up in the middle of the night for."

Maybe his sleepy stupor made Liam a bit too honest, but he held back on how he wished he could drive over to Louis' right now and tell him he didn't need to apologize for anything.  Well, it would be nice to hear an apology about some things, maybe, but it was possible that was what Louis had been trying to do before he lost track of the conversation.  "But you might need to start from the beginning again."

"Okay.  Well, I talked about it with Eleanor."

"Oh."  Liam held his breath.  Maybe this wasn't the good news he had hoped for.

"No, no, it was good."  This time when Louis laughed, it was downright cheeky.  "Trust me."

"Oh.  Okay."  Liam tried to process what that cheeky laugh meant combined with how Louis emphasized _good_ , like Liam should know what he was referring to.  Liam did know, familiar with the laugh Louis used when someone would ask why he and Eleanor spent the time whenever she visited still mostly tucked away in their room.  He hadn't really thought about the fact that Eleanor already knew what Louis wanted and had for awhile.  There had been plenty of time for her to adjust to the idea and now it was finally happening, for Louis and for her.  Still, it surprised Liam to think she might have been excited about it happening, excited like _that_.

"Yeah," Louis said, lightly coughing before changing the subject back.  "She sorted me out and helped me figure out why I was being such a dick there the last few days."

"Hadn't noticed," Liam interrupted with a snort.  It wasn't that Louis hadn't been a dick, running hot and cold and giving Liam emotional whiplash.  It was just that, as much as Liam wanted the apology, for Louis to acknowledge his behavior wasn't okay, he wanted them to move past it more.  Enough to bury his own feelings for awhile longer.

Louis answered with his own stifled laugh before going serious again. "Yeah, you did.  And after me and her talked about it, the good stuff and the me being an idiot stuff, she thought maybe we shouldn't wait the whole two weeks to see each other again?  Give me a chance to fix things from how they were last?"  Louis sounded unsure, like Liam could deny him anything.  "The thing is, I kept thinking about it like a sex thing, like a bedroom-only thing.  And it's more than that.  I liked it being more than that."

"I did too, Lou, but we need to agree on that stuff, more than just a checklist."

"We do.  We should get together and take more time to talk about it before the tour starts up again.  But maybe also take the chance to do a bit... more?"

"More like...?"  Liam wasn't sure the best response to everything almost falling apart was to increase the intensity, even if he was practically haunted by the image of Louis under him when he wanked, still imagining Louis' back covered in red stripes.

"Like longer?  Like," Louis wasn't doing the best job of explaining.  "The whole day like that.  The whole day... serving you."  The last two words were almost a whisper and Liam could picture exactly how Louis would have been blushing if he had been sat in front of him.  He could also imagine the way Louis' cock probably jumped ever so slightly at the idea and Louis shifting to rearrange himself.  Liam couldn't figure out how he could be so sleepy, worried, and horny at the same time.

"We can talk about that.  Soon, if you want.  I'll be back in London tomorrow."

"I'll be up in Donny for a charity thing.  Day after?"

"Yeah, yeah, that works."  It had taken them three days to make up, another two until they would see each other again.  That seemed far more manageable to Liam than two weeks had, especially knowing it was all going to work out okay.

"Okay then," Louis said.  "I should let you get to sleep."

"Nah, it's okay."  Liam didn't mind staying awake a bit longer when he could fall asleep now without the worry that had been keeping him awake for days.  He still had his bandmate, his songwriting partner, his best friend.  "Let me play you this thing we were working on earlier."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh good, you're still here! Ah, I've been really nervous about posting this chapter so please be gentle. There is some more talking at the beginning of the next chapter as they try to resolve more of what led to the fight, but then there is some REALLY hot stuff coming up, like I cannot deal w my notes, and the focus will stay on Louis and Liam. If you want a clue of what's coming, you can probably get me to divulge some on twitter @qdpoisson. I'll be working on it diligently over the holidays.


	10. Chapter 10

Liam managed to sleep the length of the American leg of the flight, from one coast to the other, but wasn't so lucky on the trip from JFK to Heathrow.  Instead of spending his time over the Atlantic napping in an effort to combat his perennial jetlag, he found himself fidgeting, with his phone, his glass, the stupid SkyMall magazine, anything he could grab.  The desire to bounce in his seat did not help him keep a low profile like he was supposed to, necessary even in first class.  You may get a private jet when the whole band and crew need to make it in time for a performance, but it was back to commercial when just one of you was flying around over break.

The flight landed mid-morning which meant there were far too many people waiting at the airport as security guided his way through.  If it wasn't for the noise, he probably could have fallen asleep behind his hoodie, still standing upright.  It figured: not able to sleep in the air, exhausted the second they touched down.  Liam stood at the kerb behind a barricade as he waited for a rented Range Rover to cart him home.  He considered a cigarette to help him stay awake but that required digging in his backpack and then he was distracted by his phone buzzing.

He stared at the caller ID for a minute in confusion.  Eleanor?  He tried to remember when he saved her number, probably from one of the times Louis broke his phone, but that was besides the point.  It was tempting to not answer, considering what a sleepy jet-lagged mess he was, but what if it had to do with tomorrow?  It could have been Louis calling to cancel, or worse, Eleanor calling to cancel for Louis, having decided he was still upset, too upset to talk to Liam himself.  Before he could let his worries spin up anymore for no reason, he tapped the screen to accept the call.

Liam was tentative.  "Hey?"

"Hey, Liam.  Back from America yet?"  It was Eleanor's chirping voice, sounding cheerful, not like the bearer of bad news.  Maybe it just wasn't bad news to her.

"Um, yeah.  Just - is something wrong?  I thought Louis was in Doncaster."

"Yeah, he is, at the hospital."  Liam must have made some worried noise in the back of his throat because Eleanor giggled breathlessly before continuing, "Like, not at hospital for him, he's fine, just like a planned thing.  Charity thing.  Taking pictures with kids and signing stuff for auction, that sort of thing."

"Right.  Right.  So."  Another time, Liam might have been clever enough to figure out where Eleanor was going with this, but right now he was too tired.

"Right.  I wanted to know if you'd like to get together for a coffee later.  Like this afternoon."

Liam knit his brow in confusion as he crawled into the back of the vehicle pulling up for him.  "Um, yeah, sure.  We can do that if you want to."  He was used to Sophia going to Starbucks with Eleanor, a girls' thing, so he wasn't sure what he had to do with it.  He wasn't even that fond of coffee but Eleanor probably had a good reason he would care about after a nap.

Eleanor told him where to meet her, a small local place that was definitely not a Starbucks.  It shouldn't surprise him that Eleanor had her own hidden places, ones where she knew she wouldn't be noticed if she wasn't in the mood.  Liam had never bothered much with that, a stubborn creature of habit with the same London haunts whenever he was in town, since people seemed to always know where he was anyway.  Without knowing what kind of meeting it would be, a quiet place would probably be best.  Nothing quite like getting papped with your best mate's girl and having to see it in the Daily Mail the next day.  Your best mate that you're sleeping with now.

"Alright, then, see you at four?  Get some rest, you sound absolutely knackered."

Liam laughed quietly before saying bye and hanging up, his eyes drifting shut before the phone disconnected.  It was a good thing, too, since sleeping would leave him with no time for his worries to compound.

\----

Liam thought he might unravel the entire sleeve of his sweater if he didn't stop picking at it, if that was even a thing that could really happen.  Like in that song, the sweater song, whatever it was called.  It was just a shitty attempt at distracting himself.  Paddy sat quietly in the front passenger seat, checking his phone, with no idea Liam was even anxious because there was absolutely no rational reason for him to be.  He would feel better once he and Louis talked, but until then, this reconciliation was just a few minutes on the phone and some plans for tomorrow.

The car dropped them at the kerb in front of the coffee shop so they wouldn't need to find a carpark.  Liam saw Eleanor immediately, waiting for him at a table near the back with two mugs of something with whipped cream.  Paddy got his own drink and settled into a large chair near the front door.  There were times Liam went out without security but he was just too tired and distracted to manage it right now.  Even if he hadn't brought anyone, he noticed how Eleanor chose a spot away from the window but near the rear exit, just in case.  He never really thought about how much of her life she had needed to adapt to the same rules they did, always preparing for the worst case scenario.

They shared an awkward smile from the front door followed by an even more awkward game of sit-down stand-up before settling on a loose hug that broke the ice a little.  They'd hugged dozens of times in the past, but never just the two of them, not that Liam could remember.  Everything about this was completely normal except for how it wasn't.

Liam sunk into the chair with a deep sigh and looked for Eleanor to start, considering she was the one who called him.  It was a surprise to even himself when he interrupted before she could get a word out.  "Louis really is okay, right?  He seemed better on the phone but things were really weird in Chicago."  He might have continued on with more nervous questions if Eleanor hadn't rested her hand over his from across the table.  It was a comforting touch that soothed him into silence.

"Yes, he's alright."  Eleanor gave him a small reassuring smile before taking her hand back.  "Came back a bit mixed up, maybe, but he's working on it."

"I'm sorry for whatever I did, whatever I didn't pick up on, or - "  Liam covered his face in his hand, still a little ashamed that it had come to this, needing to have a third party intervene between Louis and him.  Even if he was technically the third party here, the outsider.

Eleanor pulled his hand down back to the table.  "Don't, okay?  You didn't do anything wrong.  Not from everything Louis told me.  Both of you are new at this and you're going to come across stuff you weren't expecting, and that's okay.  But I am counting on you to watch for if he gets like that again.  And if he won't talk to you about it, then I can try too.  You've got backup, you know."

Liam huffed out a nervous laugh.  It wasn't fair how sensible she could make it all sound.  He didn't want to admit how much he wanted to hold on to Eleanor's hand when she moved away from him, resting her fingers around her warm cup.  He settled for staring at the table and doing the same, picking up his mug.  "This is weird, isn't it?" he joked before taking a sip.  He didn't drink that much coffee normally but right now he was grateful for the sugar shock plus caffeine.

"It's not _that_ weird," she retorted.  She took her aviators off her head to fidget with them, her hair falling a little in her face without the glasses to hold it back.  "Maybe a bit."  

"What made you want to, you know, meet up?"

"Just talking seemed like a good idea.  Knowing we were all on the same page, making sure you knew I was okay with it.  Making sure you guys are gonna talk tomorrow rather than jumping back into it."  She bit back a cheeky comment, tongue pressed against her teeth, and Liam was reminded of how much she and Louis were alike.

"So you said Louis told you," Liam choked on an anxious cough, "everything?"

"We talked about what you had done together, what he might want to do, some things we had talked about before..."

Liam's face was on fire with the idea that Eleanor knew even half the things he had done to Louis.  Sometimes he barely believed they happened at all and weren't just a fever dream.  Someone outside of the two of them knowing made it more real.

Eleanor got a little line between her thin brows when Liam didn't respond.  "Are you okay?  Like, you're still happy doing it?"  Liam nodded rapidly, taking another sip from his mug so he wouldn't start rambling again, this time about just how happy and satisfied and important it made him feel, doing these things with Louis, for Louis.  "I know some of the things he wants to talk to you about tomorrow, but have you thought about it all?"

"Yeah, yes.  I'm gonna try to be better, read some and learn some more. I just want to do right by him.  He's important to me, you know?"  Liam swallowed hard in the middle of his rapid fire speech but it seemed like every time he started talking, the words started tumbling out faster than he could control them.  "I think... I think I love him?"

"Oh, Li, you've always loved him."  Liam laughed at Eleanor's easy response because she wasn't wrong, but that wasn't all that he meant.

"Well, yeah, but I think I might mean… like maybe, in love?"

"So do I."

"I mean, I don't know if in love is right but it's definitely... more?  It's not like it is with Sophia, but, but if I'm in love with Sophia, I can't be in love with Louis, right?  It's a one at a time thing, isn't it?"  Liam realized how dumb that sounded when he remembered it was Eleanor's attraction to someone else that started all this.

Her volume dropped as she toyed with her spoon.  "He loves you too, you know."

"Is this how it is with you and...?"

"With me and Abby?  No, not exactly.  I care about her but I don't know her the way you and Louis know each other."  She set the spoon down on a napkin.  "But I can say it hasn't changed my feelings for Louis.  Or it has, but I love him more for it.  That we can have that and still have each other."

Eleanor made it sound so simple, so easy, that they could all share this together.  Honestly, when Louis first told Liam about the arrangement, Liam didn't think of Eleanor as much more than a safety net, a reason why Louis wasn't looking for forever, a place for him to return home to.  Liam definitely hadn't thought of it as entering a relationship with her too, but now, sitting across from each other like this, he was starting to see it.  It was an incredibly odd feeling, that he had known her for years and just now was developing his own bond with her, under admittedly unusual circumstances.  But even as that made him feel better about things with Louis, other anxieties gnawed at him, ones he felt like he could confide with her.  "I don't know if Soph will see it that way."

Eleanor raised an eyebrow.  "You haven't said anything yet?"

"We're supposed to be doing this whole casual thing, don't talk about what goes on when we aren't together, which I wasn't really sold on, but then this with Louis started.  And now?  Well, I wasn't even sure there was anything to say a few days ago."  Liam's heart raced at a worrisome idea.  "Why?  Have you said something to her?"

"No, don't worry.  I haven't seen her since New York, but I wouldn't have said something anyway if I didn't know for sure.  But you're going to have to tell her.  And if she's not okay... I know Louis wouldn't let you give up what you have with Sophia for him, but - "  Eleanor chewed her lip, trying to figure out the right answer.   "Tell her she can call me after you tell her.  And you can call me whenever you want.  Our boy really needs the both of us and I hope we can do that for him."

Eleanor acknowledging Liam's small share of ownership of Louis made his heart ache.  Maybe she always knew she was sharing a part of him with the band, each of Louis' band mates holding their own special pull on him.  But now she was looking at someone else who knew what Louis looked like at his most vulnerable. They both knew what he sounded like when he came.  Everything Liam knew up to this point thought that would make them rivals, but instead they felt like partners, a shared goal of keeping Louis safe and happy.

"Yeah, I want to, too, be there for Louis.  But, uh, tomorrow?"  Liam felt like he had a secret resource now in Eleanor, someone who could help him surprise Louis the right way.  "Is there anything you could tell me, something to make tomorrow special?"

"I have the perfect idea, but it means dropping something off later, if that's okay."

Liam nodded, curious to find out what she meant.  Eleanor pulled up her phone to make sure the address she had for him was right.  A text message popped up in the middle and a shy smile crept across her face.  Liam wondered if it was a text from Louis or from Abby, if she had a different smile for each of them.

They talked a bit longer, mostly about mutual friends, people who worked on the tour, as they finished their drinks.  She got another text and with that, needed to run.  They hugged again when she left, this time real and warm.  She reminded him she would text when she was on her way over tonight.

Paddy offered to call the car back around but Liam had spotted a park a few blocks away on their way there and thought maybe a walk would help him work off the excess caffeine and stretch his legs, joints still stiff from a day of travel.  He lucked out with exactly the kind of day he needed, no one stopping him, just a few discreet waves, joking around easily with Paddy as they made their way down the sidewalk.  He couldn't say his mind wasn't still racing underneath it all, but the warm weather and light conversation certainly helped distract him from everything that was weighing on him.

The farther Liam pushed his impatience for tomorrow to the back of his mind, a heady feeling that was finally starting to lean more towards excitement than insecurity, the more often he found himself distracted by the shop windows as they passed by.  The park was all but forgotten when he gave into the temptation of a watch display in a jewelry store.  One quick purchase for himself led to something in the next store that he thought Ruth might need, then a gift for his mum to thank her for watching Loki while he was out of the country, and another for Loki himself, to apologize for leaving him alone so much of the year, until he had a dozen bags mostly filled with items to ship home.

Liam wondered if he could fit in a drive up to Wolverhampton in a few days, pick up Loki before Sophia came home, to surprise her.  He could maybe spend a few hours with his parents even.  The band was able to travel family out a lot more than previous tours, but they still didn't see much of each other when Liam was working, and it wasn't the same as being home.  No matter how proud they told him they were, he couldn't quite shake the feeling that he was a lousy son who was never around.

Sending packages home wasn't enough to make up for it, but it helped ease that twinge of guilt he carried with him.  It was the same kind of feeling eating away at his gut about Louis, that there was no magic purchase that would eliminate any and all problems.  What mattered was that he needed to be there for Louis, and be what Louis needed.  He had made the effort to educate himself as best he could in the beginning when he was flying blind, but now he needed to try harder.  It was almost like when they were first performing together: even when he was unsure, a little fire inside him pushed him forward, bubbling anticipation that made it exciting.

Liam set down the trinket he held in his hand and left the last shop without getting anything, Paddy already laden enough with his anxiety-driven impulse buys.  Soon the shopping bags were stuffed in the back of the car and they headed back towards Primrose Hill.  Putting off going home wasn't going to help Liam prepare for tomorrow, but he had to admit getting out of his flat for the afternoon had been for the best.

\----

For all the enthusiasm Liam was able to muster on the drive, intent on figuring out how to make tomorrow and as long as this kept going, as long as Louis, and by extension Eleanor, would have him, the best experience possible, it just as quickly drained out of him when he got home.  By the time all the shopping bags were piled in the front hall, Liam had come up with half a dozen tasks that just _had_ to be done before he could sit down in front of his laptop.  Getting a load of wash started, queuing up a playlist on the stereo, brewing fresh tea were all steps in Liam's thorough procrastination method.  He was fully aware that he was avoiding what he expressly came home to do, but sometimes starting could be the hardest part.

It felt like starting over at the beginning in some ways, that he had already sat down to this kind of research before, but that was before he had anything to lose, really.  In the past week, he found out exactly what it felt like to lose it, to lose this special part of Louis.  But now, Louis was willing to trust him with even more, giving Liam permission to push at places they had only hinted at before, and that deserved all of Liam's effort and concentration.

He sunk into the couch and pulled the coffee table closer to set his mug and laptop down.  After all the avoidance, once Liam opened the browser, the whole ordering process took minutes.  The hardest part was remembering where in his folders he had hidden the bookmarks from the last time he had placed an order.  Once a handful of books were in his shopping cart, all with some variation of beginner in the description, Liam went to check out but stopped before entering his address.  He told himself he was merely concerned it might not be delivered until he was out of town again.  Truthfully, it had more to do with the idea Sophia might be here when the package arrived.

But he wasn't alone in this anymore, he reminded himself.  He sent a text to Eleanor to ask if it was okay if he shipped the items to their place instead and she replied quickly saying it was fine.  A second text came in saying that she would be there in a half hour or so as Liam clicked the confirm button.  Liam felt better now, even if he was just staring at a receipt in his browser.  He had still accomplished something, made progress towards this step forward.  Louis made it sound like they were going to be taking a few steps forward tomorrow.  Tomorrow when he would see Louis.  His Louis, all day.   _Serving him_ , Louis had said.

Liam was going to need at least an idea of a plan, but he couldn't figure out how to make up for lost time without rushing forward.  Based on their breaks before that had only lasted days, they both were probably too eager, and Liam knew for himself it had been too long since he'd made Louis beg for him.  He squeezed the base of his cock through his joggers at the memory and wasn't surprised that he was half hard.  Even though he had been looking at shopping sites, not porn, the sidebar ads were still full of boys gagged on their knees and all Liam could see was Louis.  When his eyes briefly fluttered shut, Liam could hear Louis as well, like when they were on the phone.  The small strangled gasps, deep moans, begging _please, sir_.

He laughed at himself but didn't move his hand away, thinking maybe Eleanor had been right to joke that he and Louis would be too impatient to talk.  Liam was depending on his self control to return soon enough, but right now it couldn't hurt to take the edge off.  He slipped his hand under the waistband of his pants and grunted at how quickly he was hardening up in his fist.  Something about thinking it was over and now having it back within his reach doubled the way he missed it, hitting him hard enough to knock the air out of his chest.

Liam considered calling Louis right then, likely sitting around his mum's house in Doncaster with nothing to do, and convincing him to sneak off.  It wasn't exactly the best place to pick back up, but they had depended on listening to each other before, when the itch was too much and they couldn't do anything else.  Even in Louis' mum's crowded house with a sister around every corner, it would still be more private behind a locked door than their bunks right next to the other boys.  Liam was home alone and could actually make noise for Louis this time, noises that were already building in his throat and escaping into the empty living room, but he was honestly too close already to manage the beginning of a conversation, possibly not even able to dial by this point.

Instead, he threw his head back against the couch as he moved his hand faster over himself, eyes closed tight as memories of Louis floated into his mind with no effort.  They weren't the dirtier thoughts Liam expected, though, like how Louis' mouth felt around his cock.  It was small specific things, like how Louis' fingers would curl around and dig into the cuffs tight on his wrists when crying out for more, back arching off the bed, that Liam remembered best.  The way Louis' voice cracked just before he gave up that last bit of control and slid into his calmer state.  And his face, the face Liam made Louis make when he was inside him, relaxed and tense at the same time.  He couldn't wait to see that face again tomorrow when he was on top of Louis, Louis' legs wrapped around him.  This time Liam would be able to just lean forward, driving deeper inside him, before kissing him.

He was speeding up, starting to climb towards orgasm when the doorbell rang. _Fuck._  He carefully pulled his hand out of his shorts, purposely tucking his cock under the waistband of his pants to prevent an embarrassing tent situation.  His head was still spinning a little when he looked down at the time on his phone, twenty minutes past his last text, the notification still helpfully displayed on the screen.  He tried to pull himself together as quickly as possible, grabbing the most oversized hoodie he could find as he headed to the door.

When he opened it, there was Eleanor, as he expected, looking as perfectly put together as she did earlier, while he imagined he looked like a mess, slightly sweaty and red cheeks in what was barely more than pyjamas.  A small black bag hung off her finger.

She confirmed his suspicions about his disheveled and flushed appearance when she bit her lip with a sarcastic smile.  "I thought I gave enough warning, but looks like I caught you in the middle of a… let's go with workout.  That's what I get for being a few minutes early, I guess."  Liam laughed uncomfortably, wondering if he was blushing and if so, could he hide in the hood of his sweatshirt, but it probably made no difference anyway since his cheeks were already ruddy from how his pulse was racing moments before.  Eventually, Eleanor took pity and changed the subject, holding the bag out to him.

Too bad the contents of the bag were enough to embarrass Liam even further.  He peeked in the bag as she said, "A present for if he's good tomorrow.  Or if he's bad.  Up to you, really."

Liam could just make out an edge of black lace under the tissue paper and muttered under his breath, "Fuck."  She giggled and shrugged her shoulders.  Again, she could make it all seem so natural.  "Thank god for you, El, really.  You're the only one with their head on their shoulders with all this."

Eleanor shook her head in response.  "This is just time.  I had time to get used to all this and read about it and do all the things you need to do to adjust to it.  You just need more time."

"I don't know."  Liam wanted to believe her, but it was hard not to be intimidated by her, the way nothing about this seemed to fluster her.  She couldn't have all the answers, but it sure felt like she had more of them than he did.

"Are you the one that needs to be told you're good?  Because you are.  You have good instincts with him and you care about him.  You worry about what you can give him, not what you can take.  Louis chose right.  Give him some credit."  Liam felt the warmth creeping up his cheeks for what must have been the hundredth time today and he ducked his head to run a hand through his hair, pushing it back.  When he was looking down, Eleanor had stepped up to the edge of the door and leaned in to kiss his cheek, heels giving her all the height she needed.  "I'll see you soon, okay?"

Liam nodded, waving back as Eleanor left through the gate, before heading back inside.  He stared at the bag in his hand and considered leaving it in the pile in the entry with the other shopping bags, but that seemed odd, sexy lingerie for Louis in one bag next to a new chew toy for Loki in another.  So he brought it into the kitchen with him, pulling out a beer to replace the cold, ignored tea he hadn't drank earlier, and set it on the worktop.  Still, he couldn't stop staring at the bag.

With a swig of his drink for unnecessary courage, he reached for the small tissue-wrapped contents and unwrapped them.  The black lace was an inch or so wide at the edge, the rest of the panties made from shiny black satin.  He ran his fingers over them, dumbstruck, before shoving them back in the bag.  He awkwardly shifted himself in his pants, his cock having gone soft while Eleanor was busy embarrassing him but now giving a twitch of interest.  Definitely couldn't leave them on the kitchen counter and get anything else done tonight.

Liam walked back to the laundry room and set the bag on the shelf in there.  After changing the wash to the dryer, he closed the door and tried to put it out of his mind.  Technically, now that Eleanor had stopped by, he was free to leave for the night.  It was tempting to go out and party, his first night back and completely overwhelmed by today and what tomorrow would bring, but at the same time, his earlier purchase might help in the long-term and he needed to think about the more immediate future.

Back to the laptop it was, then.  He tried to find his way back to that first informational site where he had found the checklist they used.  It served as a jumping off point, hunting and pecking through it, searching for definitions or elaborations of things he hadn't understood at the time.  One search led him to a long thread on a message board about a topic he was fixated on, belting, the different ways to hold the belt, what to watch for as far as marks went.  He had been reading for over an hour when his concentration started to flag.  Revision was never his strong suit, especially when trying to ignore the constant distraction that was his erection that refused to go away.  Thinking about Louis and these things at the same time kept having that effect.

There was a part of thinking about Louis that made the need to have a wank more urgent, but there was another part that ached with simply missing him, with wondering how he was feeling and what he was doing.  It wasn't new to miss his friend when they were apart, but it snuck up on him faster than ever and it just felt like more.  Eleanor had done what she could to tell him it was okay to feel more, that Louis did too, and that feeling more didn't mean anything about them not loving who they loved before.  He had always thought that was how it worked, but a lot of his ideas about love and relationships were getting turned upside down.

Even after the words came out of his mouth, he couldn't figure out if he was in love with Louis.  What was being in love, anyway?  With Sophia, it was the idea of being together forever, of building a life together.  But he'd always felt like that about Louis, that he wanted to be in this band with him as long as they could and when it came to an end someday, it was Louis who he hoped he would continue to work with, writing songs or taking on any other project they came up with.  Louis always made him feel better, made him happy, made him smile.  He never thought of it as romantic.  He still couldn't recognize it quite the way he had felt about girlfriends in the past, or how he felt about Sophia now.  It was just this special Louis feeling that he liked, and now it felt like he had permission to feel that way, to miss him and his smiles and his kisses.

If it wasn't for this new element between them, Liam never would have thought twice about texting Louis when he felt like it and it shouldn't be any different now, he tried to convince himself.  It didn't have to be dirty, like his earlier idea of calling Louis.  It could be just to talk, maybe share some of what he had been reading about.  It felt overdramatic when he finally grabbed the phone.

**Still in Doncaster tonight?**

It was a stupidly tense three minutes waiting for a response and he had already typed another message when Louis' reply came through.

_stayed to get a practice in at Keepmoat before the charity match next weekend_

Liam pressed send on the typed message anyway.

**Miss you**

_You'll see me tomorrow :P_

_Might miss you a bit too tho_

The words reassured him more than he could admit, that Louis didn't think it was strange that Liam missed him, that the feeling was returned.  It was enough to relax him slightly.

**How much ;)**

_Enough that it sucks I'm too worn out to do anything about it .  Beat up to hell_

**Thought that was my job**

_Gonna get jealous over a couple of bruises ?_

**Don't like my things getting damaged :(**

_Not like it's anyone's fault but mine_

**So your saying you're to blame? your the one I should punish ;)**

_Just maybe babe :) but I was serious about being dead tired x_

_It'll be tomorrow soon_

It might not have gone hot and heavy like part of Liam wished it had, but what was more important was that it made him feel like Louis was just as impatient to return to how it they were before, missed him, wanted him.  He tossed the phone aside with a sigh and closed the laptop.  A shower seemed like a good idea.  Big day tomorrow and everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember how I was really excited last chapter to get back to Louis and Liam? Well, then more things happened with just Liam and I blame my wonderful terrible betas. Seriously, if you think Liam sounds impatient, you have no idea how nuts I'm going over this right now. I'm so grateful that Kelty, Emily, and now kT are sticking with me through this unstoppable monster. (If you are a fan of D/s fic, go check out [kelty's awesome Evanstan fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2624603/chapters/5854424). If you are a fan of Lilo, go check out [kT's adorable Lilo kidfic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2621609/chapters/5847044) that now has a sequel in process. And because Emily never writes enough fic, stuck copyediting these novels, go check out [her super creepy GFalls fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3093821).)
> 
> And come find me on [Twitter! ](https://twitter.com/qdpoisson)
> 
> (Oh and forgive me for playing fast and loose with canon here. Obviously needed to change when the girlfriends were in the States for reasons but I'm heartbroken I screwed up the timing around Liam's birthday. I never planned for this to get quite so involved.)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god it's been a month. Those who like long chapters will find plenty to be happy about since chapters 11&12 are basically a two-parter that were just split because 18,000 words is too long for one chapter! I had already been thinking about these chapters as the end of an act, but really it's the season finale. A double episode, aired without commercial breaks, season finale. You have [kT](http://archiveofourown.org/users/winglesswarrior/) to thank or blame depending on your perspective.
> 
> [Kelty](http://archiveofourown.org/users/callmejude/) continues to be an inspiration, if only because I love making her fall in love with lilo even when she isn't boy band not even a little. And Emily is still putting up with me and fixing my mistakes, even though I get crazy antsy so close to posting.
> 
> And a big big thank you to awesome readers who found me on Twitter like [Sonia](http://archiveofourown.org/users/SoniaWilde/), [Asher](http://archiveofourown.org/users/asherisnotfunny), and [Em](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Randominity/) and kept me at the grindstone because I knew someone was waiting impatiently to read it! They can attest that I really did work at this every day for the last month.
> 
> You should come find me too. Taking a bit of an intermission to post a few one shots so subscribe if you want to know when those go up. And then bother me on Twitter to find out what happens in act II! (a lot happens, that's what)

Liam stared at the kettle as he waited for the light to go off, watching Louis at the kitchen table out of the corner of his eye.  The way Louis was spinning a knife in circles, a knee against his chest and the other folded under himself, made Liam feel like a parent about to have a capital-D Discussion with an errant teen.  Liam buried the word _daddy_ deep down in his chest and let out a sigh of relief when the water was finally ready to be poured over the waiting milk and tea bags.

As Liam set the mugs down on the table, Louis looked up at him, sparkling eyes and a wry half-smile, and it felt good, but as soon as Louis looked back at the table and his fidgety hands, Liam could see the tension creep back into him.  It was just like how it had been at the front door when Louis arrived that morning, a familiar greeting with a quick but tight hug, followed by an awkward walk towards the kitchen.  Louis led the way, seeing as he knew Liam's place almost as well as his own, which wasn't very well considering how often they actually spent at home, but Liam could see the way his arms shook with nervous energy.  Liam rested a hand on the small of Louis' back and it seemed to help.

Liam tried a similar strategy now, shoving at Louis with his side to distract him from whatever thoughts were racing through his head.  Louis didn't look up again but he smirked as he pushed back against Liam in a way that left them leaning on each other.  Liam tried to let it go on as long as possible, but they would only get so far without talking, even if an all-day cuddle sounded pretty nice at that moment.  He scratched at Louis' hair before taking a seat across from him.

Louis wasn't the only one with a crowded mind.  Everything Liam had read was still bouncing around in his head, but he tried to narrow his focus to just Louis, ready to hear what he needed, what he was asking for.  Liam went to take a sip of his tea before breaking into an uncontrollable laugh instead, tickled by the absurdity of it all, the loudest pair of troublemakers he knew unable to get more than ten words out between them so far.  Louis looked at him like he was crazy before joining him, eyes crinkled up with honest affection.

"So where were we?" Liam said once he got his breath back.  He wondered if he should start with another apology, if it really would help either of them at this point.  It hadn't really been a fight, or at least it hadn't felt like one to Liam, more a break or separation, so he wasn't sure if they needed to make up as such.  He hadn't been the angry one either, just confused and disappointed and worried, feelings that were finally starting to fade.  "Still cross with me?"

"Never really was, I guess.  That's the whole thing, innit?"

"Fair enough, but we should have been talking more instead of me just guessing."

"I don't think I would have known what I wanted then."  Louis couldn't hold Liam's gaze any longer.  "Got more than I ever thought I would, already."

Liam chewed his lip to keep an even sappier confession at bay.  Instead, he attempted to return to what they really needed to talk about.  "Well, what about now?  Guessing can't be how this works anymore.  I need you to tell me what you do want me to control."  Liam had dozens of possibilities floating around in his mind, and they had hours, but he needed some kind of confirmation from Louis about what they were doing.

"Today?  Everything."  Louis might have been tense and maybe even uncomfortable, but he sounded sure of himself and looked at Liam head-on.

"Louis, you looked at the same checklist I did.  Everything can be a lot."  Liam huffed out a laugh that wasn't funny so much as overwhelmed.  "Do you really want me to decide when you can and can't take a wee?"

Louis shrugged with a smart-ass reply, "You kind of already do."  It was strictly true, during shows, but he had never meant it like that before.

"Okay, okay, you don't need to tell me every single thing right now, but maybe we need different rules today.  Like I'm not going to say you can't talk all day.  I'll still take the lead, but you can ask for what you want or don't want and I'll decide if I agree."  Liam knew Louis had to have come with something on his mind though, after talking to Eleanor.  "But you must have some ideas?"

Louis turned in his seat to pull a crumpled paper out of his back pocket.  He looked like he was going try reading it aloud before sliding it over to Liam.  The list's simple header, _For Liam_ , was in neat loopy script that probably belonged to Eleanor, but then the list itself was written in Louis' familiar fast block lettering.  Liam had page after page in his notebook filled with that handwriting from when they worked together.

Liam read the list silently at first, Louis watching him expectantly.  Liam pointed at one line item in particular, _impact play_ , and looked up at Louis for further explanation.

"Like what we've been doing, but more..."  Louis' voice might have been quieter than normal, but there was a wickedness in his slight smile that hinted at a desire that could overpower his nerves.  "Like, um, flogging is a thing, or..."

Liam shifted in his seat but kept the same generally curious tone.  "Don't have one of those today, but, hitting your back would be okay?"

Louis nodded quickly.  "Not most of the time because," he trailed off, but rubbed his ankle against Liam's under the table before hooking behind it in a silly but reassuring game of footsie.  Liam understood.  Because other people would see and beyond the shame, they would have questions, questions they might not accept the answers to.  That Louis had begged for this.  Liam was going to make sure he did.

Louis broke the loaded silence this time in his standard fashion, with a joke.  "Hope you're ready for a workout.  That list must be pretty long by now considering how awful I've been."

Liam knew he was only kidding, but still wanted to be clear that Louis, now or in the future, wouldn't be punished like that for a fight.  "No, none of that counts anymore, we can start over today."

"Can we start over from yesterday?  Was twenty minutes late to practice because we stopped for pizza.  I'm sure I can think of some other things."  Liam laughed, not knowing why Louis was always looking for justification for it, why he couldn't admit to himself that he simply liked it.

"We'll work something out."  Liam folded the list up and put it in his jean pocket.  It looked like the whole thing might just work out.  Liam still hadn't been sure up until now.  This wasn't something they were playing around with anymore, trying out, experimenting.  This was something they were doing together, committed to, actually changing their lives and relationship around.

When they finally got up from the table, Louis let his guard down and nerves go, collapsing into Liam's chest and hugging him like he was holding on for dear life.  Liam let him take what he needed until he felt Louis heave a dry sob.  "Louis?"

Louis' voice was quiet. "Yes - " He swallowed the second word that had been on his tongue.  Liam held on to Louis' arms tightly as he pushed Louis away just enough to look him in the eye.

"Are you ready?  Do you want to start?"

Louis took a long, deep breath and kept his voice steady this time.  "Yes, sir."  Liam's head swam at the familiar words, but he steadied himself because Louis needed him to.

"Bedroom with you, then."  Liam gave Louis' forehead a quick kiss before letting him go.  Liam was locked in place, feet glued to the tile floor, until Louis turned the corner for the hallway.  Rubbing his hands over his face helped snap him back to reality and he quickly decided something, jogging after Louis to catch up.

When Liam reached the bedroom, Louis was still next to the door but already working on undressing, his jacket laid neatly over the back of a chair and his shoes shoved off under.  He was working on getting his t-shirt off when Liam gently grabbed his wrists to stop him.  Liam typically skipped out on this part of the process, Louis preparing for him alone, as if this change in dynamics was a switch he could flip instead of a transition.  Doing it that way helped Liam keep certain things compartmentalized.  But he wasn't supposed to be running from what was inside him anymore, the overlapping feelings between Louis, his mate, and the Louis that was his.

So once he was crowded into Louis' space, returning Louis' hands to his sides, Liam started removing Louis' t-shirt himself.  He stretched his palms over Louis' belly as he slowly rucked it up and Louis pliantly raised his arms for Liam.  Shirt removed, he ran his hands back down Louis' chest, taking him in.  Louis' breaths were shallow and shaky and he was looking past Liam, unnerved by being the subject of such intense reverence.

Liam knelt in front of Louis to help him shed the rest of his clothes, pulling down the trousers Louis had already unbuttoned in his hurry before Liam reached him.  With Louis exposed, Liam ran his fingertips over the sensitive areas he could reach, behind his knees, just above his hips, as he stood back up.  Louis was still soft in his pants and Liam left them for now.  "Knees."

Louis dropped with a sigh of relief at the command, returning to their practiced rhythm, hands clasped behind his back without needing to be told.  Liam kept the same measured pace, circling Louis once before going to sit on the bed.

The room was certainly bigger than most of the hotel bedrooms on the road, so when Liam ordered Louis, "Crawl," he had more time than usual to appreciate the sight of Louis' arse wiggling in his snug boxers and his shoulder blades shifting under his tan skin.  As he watched, Liam settled into himself and the job in front of him.  Before Louis could arrange himself at Liam's feet, Liam gave the next command, "Lap."  Louis obliged, stretching his frame over Liam's knees.  It almost sounded casual when Liam asked, "Your color, please, Louis?"

"Green, sir," Louis answered, consistent with their routine, except for how Liam kept stretching out his actions, fully enjoying that they had the whole day ahead of them with no worries of being interrupted or overheard.  Liam was running his hands over the back of Louis' thighs when Louis let out a whine.  "What is it?  I said you could talk."

"Please, sir.  I'm sorry, I'm so sorry - I just need - "

Liam rubbed a comforting circle across the small of Louis' back.  "Shhh.  If that's what you need to feel better, that's what we'll do."  It was time to get Louis back to where he needed to be.  "Twenty minutes late?  That was pretty selfish of you."

The first twenty spanks went quickly and while Louis made soft appreciative moans through it, his shoulders stayed tight.  Liam scrambled for something else, but Louis was quick to provide another offense, skipping breakfast for sweets from the hospital cafeteria.  It made Liam laugh under his breath, but he wasn't against encouraging Louis to take better care of himself.  He administered ten more.  Louis' bum was red and warm under Liam's palm when slipped his hand beneath the waistband of Louis' pants.

Louis held tight to Liam's leg and said, "Five days.  From yelling at you to now."

Liam started with a warning, "Louis," ready to remind him that Liam didn't want to punish him for that, but Louis squeezed tighter and pleaded, and Liam realized Louis didn't need this for Liam to forgive him, he needed it to forgive himself.  With that, Liam counted out five hard hits, as hard as he could manage with his bare hand.  Liam felt Louis' stomach unknot against his legs, his breaths filling his chest fully now, but his arms wouldn't release their hold on him, wouldn't relax.

Louis reluctantly let Liam guide him back to kneeling.  Even as Liam pet him appreciatively, Louis kept his eyes on the floor.  Why couldn't Louis see what a good boy Liam had?  Whatever the need was deep inside Louis was still unsated.  Liam curled his fingers under Louis' chin to make him look at him.

"Maybe if we want to start over, clean the slate, we need something different.  Something a bit more was what you said, yeah?"  Louis nodded, eyes wet and intense but mouth slack in Liam's hold.  Liam nodded in return.  "Okay then.  All fours, on the bed."  Louis obeyed efficiently.

Before Liam walked away to get what he needed, he dropped his head right next to Louis' and whispered, "You know you can say no, right?"

Louis sounded frustrated when he gritted out.  "I don't want to."

Liam had to accept that and went to the drawer to remove a belt.  Holding the soft leather in his hand, he was glad he kept it after an event, so he didn't have to think about how much it cost for what he was about to do with it.  He curled his fingers over the buckle, before wrapping the leather once around his fist and tucking the end in his palm.  Louis could see the loop of leather from where his head hung between his arms.  Liam approached the bed and when he did, he could swear Louis was trembling lightly.

The idea of hitting Louis with his belt had been fixed in Liam's mind for at least two weeks, longer if he was honest with himself, possibly from when Louis first showed him those pictures.  But Liam had his own trepidation about actually going through with it, fighting for room in his mind alongside his eagerness.  There was no way for him to know how hard would be too hard and he worried about his own strength for the first time.  He didn't know how dark these marks might be compared to the ones from paddling Louis, and they would be harder to hide than those from before.  There was even a chance he might break the skin.  While they had over a week before returning to tour life for anything to heal and Liam knew fully well that Louis would be cared for even when he wasn't around, it was a new line to cross.  He might have trembled too if he was the one knelt and waiting.  He wondered if Louis really knew how much trust he was putting in Liam.

"Fine.  If you don't want to say no, I'll make you say yes.  If you want me to hit you again, you'll ask for it."  Liam laid the belt across Louis' shoulders, getting an idea for how it would cross him, how high he should raise his arm before striking down.  "Now, do you want me to hit you, Louis?"

Steeled with determination, Louis responded, "Yes, sir, please."

Liam delivered the first hit carefully and listened to how the air pushed out of Louis' lungs.  The silence in the room, in sharp contrast to the smack of leather on skin seconds before, had Liam on edge until Louis mewled, "Please, more."  Liam obliged, the leather arcing in his hand as he swiftly brought it down, a breathy moan accompanying Louis' exhale upon contact.  Liam immediately pulled his arm back up for another strike, barely catching himself before Louis repeated his plea for more.  It would have been so easy for Liam to keep going without waiting for a response, caught up in the way Louis' back flexed after a hit landed before straightening for the next.

So easy that Liam had to detach from the overwhelming intensity of his own body's reaction.  Liam wanted to be present, wanted to stop separating things, but the conflicting feelings between wanting to give Louis more and hit harder and feel the shock through his arm and worrying about Louis and how far was too far were too much.  The only way to keep from getting carried away was to block everything out but Louis' words.  He listened to Louis' noises and saw the marks, but in a disconnected way, only as indicators of Louis' safety, not as evidence of Liam's ownership in this moment, he alone pulling these sounds from Louis and leaving these bruises behind.  He would let himself think about it later once he knew Louis had gotten what he needed from it and could finally relax.

It continued like this for a dozen hits, heavy thuds that Liam spaced evenly across Louis' back, trying not to cross the same skin too often.  Louis continued to ask again before each, his voice rougher and cracking with emotion under the surface as they went on, but Liam was certain it had been enough when Louis' arms were unable to support him anymore and he collapsed into the bed.  Liam immediately moved into comforting mode, running his hand soothingly over the top of Louis' shoulders where the skin was relatively untouched, before hearing Louis catch his breath and once again calmly request, "Please, more."

Liam thought about stopping for Louis' own good but he wasn't bleeding anywhere yet and Louis sounded more certain than ever, the insecurity in his voice replaced with pure hunger.  With the extra feet of distance, Liam could increase his speed slightly, and the cracking noise was more satisfying than ever.  A bead of sweat fell from Liam's hairline but he was unaware of himself in the moment, his world focused in on just Louis' voice and how Louis' muscles tensed and relaxed in a constant cycle.  He purposely overlooked how Louis rutted against the bed with each hit and how Louis' voice went higher and more ragged with each request for more.

Louis hadn't been silent throughout, grunting and moaning with each impact, but when a small cry escaped his lips, different than any of the other sounds he had made so far that day but clearly familiar, Liam knew it was him climaxing.  Louis' hips twitched forward a few times and Liam let the belt fall to the floor as time passed with no further pleas.  He hadn't noticed before how Louis was clutching the sheets until he relaxed his grip with a heavy sigh.  All the last traces of anxiety in Louis were finally rinsed away and Liam felt a tension that he hadn't realized was held tight in his shoulders release as he crowded close to Louis, kneeling next to the bed.  Liam rubbed up and down Louis' arms to avoid touching the raw red skin of his back and left kisses in his hair.  Liam forced his breathing to a slow, regular pace, not knowing when it had sped up along with his heartrate, but what mattered now was to get Louis breathing with him.  After a few minutes like that, Louis managed a nod while leaving his face mostly pressed against the bed, enough to let know Liam he was alright and not completely dropped out.  That Louis wasn't in his space didn't negate the need for aftercare, but it did mean Liam could be a little more lighthearted about it, particularly about how Louis came without the permission Liam was so accustomed to granting.

Liam pulled Louis' hips up until he was back to all fours on the bed.  "Such a good boy and still so naughty," Liam teased as he palmed over the wet spot on Louis' pants, making Louis groan with sensitivity, before pulling them down to his knees.  "Ruined these."

It took some effort to get Louis to standing and his soiled pants off, his weight largely held up by Liam.  Liam ran his thumbs over Louis' cheeks to wipe away the tear tracks and Louis leaned into him even more until his face was pressed into Liam's neck.  Liam took a minute to just run his fingers over Louis' scalp.

"Do you feel better now?"  Louis nodded against Liam, a small smile creeping up.  "C'mon, show me."  Louis looked up at Liam and nodded again, appearing lighter than he had all day.  Liam beamed at him in return but Louis' smile fell a little with Liam's next order.  "Alright then, go get washed up."

Louis accepted Liam taking a step back but his eyes flicked down to the bulge in Liam's jeans that Liam had been so valiantly ignoring.  "But you…?"

"Do you want to get me off?"  Louis' brow creased with confusion, disoriented by the question combined with the rush of endorphins still coursing through him.

"Yes, please, sir.  Yes, I do."

Liam had said Louis could ask for what he wanted, but he didn't say he would always agree.  Sometimes Louis needed to be told no, even if Liam would suffer for it.  "And that's exactly why you aren't."  Liam leaned in to give Louis a quick kiss, then patted his bum to set him in motion.  "Go, I'll have everything ready for the rest of the day when you get out of the shower."

Louis' teeth dug into his lip in frustration but he accepted the command finally, dragging his feet towards the en suite.  Liam balled his fist with his own frustration after Louis closed the bathroom door behind him.  He knew it was for the best and they had the rest of the day to worry about him, but the visual of the bruises just beginning to darken Louis' backside layered over the fading traces of the ones there before, apparent as he crossed in front of Liam to reach the door, did not help matters.  He couldn't dwell on it if he wanted to have a surprise waiting for Louis when he got out of the shower.  Liam expected him to be pretty quick considering his impatience with the idea in the first place.

Liam gathered up the clothes Louis had shed in one arm and the soiled pants in the other.  The briefly worn shirt and jeans got packed back into the overnight bag Louis had left by the front door, the pants chucked into the bin in the laundry room.  While he was there, he picked up the black bag that he had hidden from himself and took the panties out, already picturing them on their new owner.

The water shut off as soon as Liam laid them out on the bed, so he hurried off to the living room, with a quick stop in the kitchen for a beer.  It wasn't his normal choice for half ten, but between sleeping the day away yesterday and the limited options in his fridge, it would have to do.  He had just managed to comfortably lounge out on the couch with the remote in his hand when Louis walked out, naked except for a towel slung low on his hips.  Liam doubled his concentration on channel flipping in an act of casual disinterest.

"Um, Li?"  Louis ventured carefully, as if he wasn't completely sure if Liam was still sir to him right now.  Liam made a small hum to say he was listening, still not able to look at all of the bare wet skin Louis was showing right now.  "What's with the knickers?"

Liam could try to act aloof, but it didn't mean he would succeed, and he grinned despite himself.  "Well, if you don't like them, you don't have to wear them.  Your choice.  But your options are that or nothing, and the floor might get chilly."  Liam turned his head in time to see Louis gulp and nod before turning back to the bedroom.

The next time Louis came out, he walked all the way around to the couch and Liam sat upright at the sight of Louis in black lace.  He couldn't manage anything but open staring at first, but as his eyes moved upward, he could see the hesitancy on Louis' face.  "Come here, babe.  You look so good in those."  Liam patted the side of his leg to signal to Louis where he wanted him, at his feet like a pet.  Louis complied, moving slowly but smiling once he was there with Liam's fingers running through his damp hair.  "So good.  I'll have to compliment Eleanor on her excellent taste."

Louis' breath caught in his throat, about to speak, but held back until Liam gave him the go ahead with a nod.  Still, he stuttered, "So, El knows about these."

"Bought them herself, so you'd best make sure you don't make a mess of such a nice present.  There won't be another pair today."  Louis nodded in understanding, still endeavoring to breathe properly and looked towards the television screen with no real focus.  Liam gently moved Louis' head to leaning on his knee as he kept his nails running against Louis' scalp.

Liam was pretty pleased with himself for managing the light banter in the face of the new territory already explored today.  It felt like they were finally getting back to the light joke-y way they were before, when it was new.  Something about what had just gone on in the bedroom had lightened the stress in Louis' eyes and shoulders.  Liam felt the opposite, a soft ache in his arms that made him feel useful and needed.  A balance restored.

The longer they sat, the lower Liam let his fingers drift.  He was rubbing Louis' neck with one hand absentmindedly when he eventually settled for leaving the TV on one of the Sky movie channels, only fifteen minutes into a comedy they had both seen before.  It was merely comfortable background noise to Liam with his focus still so much on Louis.  When he ran his hand over Louis’ shoulder, his thumb just grazed the top of a raised mark.  He gently nudged Louis forward so he could see farther down.

Louis started to turn to figure out what Liam was doing, but Liam tisked at him and gestured for him to keep his eyes forward on the screen.  Louis went with it, leaning slightly forward as Liam had wanted without questioning any further.  Liam gave up on any pretense of watching the movie to study the crisscrossing welts down Louis' skin.  It's not like Liam hadn't been aware of the marks the belt left behind while he was using it, but he had been so careful about keeping his focus, not letting himself see the results as a whole.

With the passing time, the skin that had appeared mostly an angry red before was now darkening into defined bruises, some with raised edges or light abrasions.  Even now, it was hard to study them without reliving the actions that put them there.  Knowing that he was the cause was a powerful feeling, but almost a scary one if he thought on it too long.  Hitting Louis when he asked was no longer a selfless act for Liam, it was one that filled him with a rush, the control in his hands and the force of it.  He couldn't deny that part of him loved doing it, but he still worried what it said about him that he enjoyed it.  Enjoyed it to the point he wasn't sure that, without telling Louis he had to ask for it, he would have been able to stop as easily.  All it took was one look at Louis' beaming expression, barely paying more attention to the movie than Liam, to reassure him that at least one person wasn't bothered by how much he liked it.

"What are you so happy about?" Liam asked with a grin of his own.

"Nothing," Louis replied smugly but when he turned to face Liam, he changed his tone.  "Everything."  Liam let Louis' warm smile wash over him before he leaned back against the couch.

The movie couldn't hold his attention, though, and he found himself rubbing at his beer label and digging in his pockets for his phone.  When he realized his phone was on the coffee table, it would have been easy to rock forward and reach it, but instead he asked Louis to hand it to him.  That was a bit like serving him, right?

He flicked through his twitter feed and saw a DM asking for a birthday wish.  There was no way to catch them all but he caught this one and opened it to reply.  The only problem was he could barely type with two hands, much less one while the other was occupied with a drink.  All it took was him shifting his weight to lift Louis from the quiet daze he had been in, resting against Liam.  Wordlessly, Liam handed Louis the bottle so he could type out a response.  He picked out two more from the bunch at random to answer as well.

In that time, Louis hadn't set the bottle on the table or the floor.  He simply held it right where it had been handed to him, a comfortable distance Liam could reach without moving.  Liam tested the phenomenon, taking the bottle for another swig and then setting in back in Louis' hand.  He still kept it raised in the same place.

Liam knew better than to question him at this point and instead gave Louis an approving pet on the head.  "Handy having you around, isn't it?  It's nice."  Louis automatically leaned into Liam's touch.

"Thank you, sir."  The last word was quiet, almost shy.  Sometimes the smallest things had the biggest effect on him, and Liam couldn't always predict it.

Liam went back to his phone for a minute, following a list of people, figured it was the least he could do to brighten someone's day, until his eyes grew unexpectedly heavy.  He had woken up at five that morning full of nerves, so it wasn't that surprising that his backwards sleep schedule had him twisted.

It wasn't until he woke up a few minutes later that he realized he had fallen asleep at all, with Louis still holding his beer.  Louis was seated perfectly in the same spot at his feet and the bottle in the same place, although possibly with the contents an inch lower than they had been before.  He gave Louis a wink before grabbing it and finishing it off, setting the bottle on the floor this time.

It almost felt ordinary and yet so much more, a buzz where Louis' bare shoulder pressed against Liam's calf.  The short nap renewed Liam with a fresh burst of energy, and now while he could concentrate on the television a little bit better, nothing could make him forget that Louis was kneeling next to him, almost naked and covered in his marks.  The marks of his belt, at least.  He thought he could improve on that, though.

Liam tugged him on to the couch, settling Louis between his legs with Louis' back gently resting on his chest, intent on marking him a bit more personally.  Louis went with it easily as Liam pulled his arms behind his back, hand to opposite elbow, trapped between the two of them.  The lacy knickers Louis had looked so unsure of before did little to conceal his cock, half hard just from wearing them and the few simple acts of subordination Liam had asked of him.  Liam palmed Louis through the panties to mostly stiff so that he was clearly outlined by the silky fabric.  Liam was so distracted by the sight and the warm feel of Louis against him, he almost lost track of his original goal.  He gripped Louis' thighs in an effort to control himself, wanting everything to go to plan.

There was a moment where Liam considered Louis' wide necked shirts and the possibility of a mark showing, but none of them were as good at avoiding unwanted paparazzi as Louis.  He set his worries aside and sunk his teeth into the junction where Louis' neck and shoulder met.  Louis started to moan and Liam paused just long enough to shush him before biting down again an inch over.

With two dark marks side by side on Louis' neck, Liam switched to softer kisses down his shoulder, even as Louis arched against him and offered the tender skin up to him.  Louis' legs were still spread wide open, kept that way by Liam's hands on his knees, so that when Liam looked down, he could see how Louis had hardened further from the bites, his cockhead now peaking out from under the lace edging.  Louis tried to remain motionless in Liam's hold but couldn't hold back a whimper, jerking his hips unsteadily.

"What is it, babe?" Liam asked, trying not to tease too meanly.  Louis could only manage another whine in response, pleading and wordless.  Liam let one hand slide farther up Louis' thigh and moved the other to keep Louis held tight against him, palm on his belly.  "Think carefully, Lou," he whispered. "What do you really want?"

Louis tested Liam's hold on him with another thrust into the air but regained control long enough to answer Liam.  "Want to make you happy.  Want to make you feel good."  Liam hummed in approval and Louis took the encouragement to keep going.  "Want to make you come.  Please, please let me."

It was exactly what Liam wanted to hear, but he pushed further.  "You're so hard again already.  Don't you want to come?"  Liam teasingly ran a fingertip along the underside of Louis' cock, slipping along the satin.

"Not as much as I want to make you come.  More important."  Louis took the one advantage he could and rocked his hips backward against Liam.  Liam allowed it and even responded in kind, canting upward against Louis' arse, but when Louis tried to untangle one of his hands behind his back to reach for Liam's cock, Liam pushed Louis roughly off the couch.

Liam immediately clasped his hand around the back of Louis' neck, a grip that Liam sometimes used to comfort or relax Louis, but right now was something else entirely, something like how you would control an animal.  Louis cursed and sharply exhaled, face halting inches from the coffee table.  Liam commanded him to turn around and Louis did, scooting in a half-circle between Liam's knees, his head still down.  Louis' mouth was close enough to the crotch of Liam's jeans that he could feel the hot air of Louis' breath.  Liam did not release his hold on Louis' neck as he unbuttoned his jeans and shoved them down his thighs.  Liam's hand shook with impatience as he pulled down the waistband of his pants enough to free himself.

Louis immediately surged forward to take his cock and Liam pulled him back by his hair.  "Hands behind your back.  Wait," Liam gritted out, almost as difficult for him to give the command as Louis found it to obey, but he did, mouth open wide and waiting for Liam on his tongue.  Liam took himself in hand and tortured Louis further by stroking himself, inches from Louis, until he had leaked enough precome to drag along Louis' lips.  Louis struggled to remain in place as Liam fed him his cock one inch at a time.  "Good boy.  Now you can go ahead."

Louis tightened his lips around Liam as soon as he had given the word, sucking him down even a little bit more despite the way he gagged on it.  Liam kept his fingers locked tight in Louis' hair in an effort to keep him in place, but Louis fought against the hold.  The only time Louis ceased struggling was when Liam lost his control and thrust into his mouth, Louis' throat tightening as the rest of his body relaxed.  Liam gave Louis more of what he wanted, fucking his mouth, but with each drive forward, Liam became less reserved, rougher, louder.  It was the first time that day, the first time in a while, he thought of himself, rather than concentrating solely on Louis' needs.

He told himself it was alright because Louis wasn't bound, that he could stop it at any moment if he needed, and that Louis was loving it if he judged by the noises he was making.  Liam's desire to hold him there longer, despite the small tears that came from Louis' clenched eyes, was about more than the intense wet heat of Louis' mouth and chasing his orgasm.  It was about this tangible sense of power and strength rushing to his head like a flood over him, everything he had held back from feeling when belting Louis.  Now, he was finally letting himself take, just a little.

In that spirit, he pressed almost too far with the last few pumps of his hips before crying out, digging his nails into the couch leather as he came.  Even after Liam's hands fell weakly by his sides, Louis didn't move, lightly lapping at him.  When Liam gasped from the oversensitivity, Louis moved his kisses over Liam's thighs instead, until Liam was finally coherent enough to tuck himself back in his pants and pull his jeans up.

Liam pet Louis over and over while he tried to come back to his senses, not wanting Louis to doubt for one second how happy Liam was with him, even if he couldn't form words.  The first words he could manage were "cigarette, kitchen counter," which were part plan but also part base need, still locked in a space of his own.  Liam smoked a lot less when they were off the road, hardly ever at home, and never actually in the house, but these were extenuating circumstances.  He wasn't going to risk smoking outside with Louis like this, having learned his lesson about balconies.

When Liam managed to crack his eyes open, Louis was already knelt back at his feet, holding the cigarette in his own mouth to light before handing it to Liam.  Any other time Louis would have kept the first one for himself without thinking twice, but this Louis, right now, knew he would have to ask permission for one and chose not to.  The whole point was that Liam assumed some part of Louis would be tortured by not being able to smoke, but it seemed that part was overridden by a desire to serve, to be ready.  Liam let his eyes drift shut again but smiled at how he could feel Louis wrapped around his leg.

Halfway through the cigarette, Liam finally came to enough to realize he hadn't checked in with Louis, not really.  He trusted his gut instinct to an extent, but he wasn't convinced Louis would speak up even if he did need something, so abnormally quiet compared to his usual self.  He should have at least offered him a water bottle or something, he thought, jerking to sitting upright which just ended up jostling Louis from where he rested.

Liam kept a hand on Louis' bare shoulder as he asked, "Hey, how you doing?  Ready for a little break, some water or something?"  

"Don't need a break," Louis ducked his head and chuckled quietly. "But I am a bit peckish, if that's okay."

"Yes, yes, okay."  That part he planned for, or at least had figured out, based on what Nicola had left in his fridge from the week before when she stayed.  Neither of them were chefs but he could manage a sandwich as well as anyone.  It was just lucky that his sister left enough provisions for a ham and cheese.  Otherwise, they might have been reduced to brown sauce on toast.  He at least knew he had what he needed for a pasta for dinner.  It was always the first meal he made when he got home that reminded him to go to the shops.

Liam stood, legs more stable than he had first expected, and helped Louis up too.  If Louis was still interested in being useful, he could at least get a properly made cup of tea out of it, compared to his attempt that morning.  They started out working in silence, but were back to their hip bumps and sneaky pinches by the time they were ready to set everything on the table.

Liam got there first with the plates and settled into the same chair he sat in that morning.  Louis hesitated for a second after putting down the mugs until Liam dragged the chair next to him out with his foot and nodded towards it.  For a second, Liam worried that his choice disappointed Louis, maybe still wanting to sit on the floor, despite the even ground they had found while getting everything ready in the kitchen.  While Liam liked the Louis that had spent the morning at his feet, he also liked spending time with his friend Louis and joking around.

Louis nodded and took the offered seat quietly, but Liam knew there had to be a way to shake off some of the strange meek attitude still hanging on Louis.  Liam's foot was still near the leg of the chair so he jerked it a few inches closer to him with a loud squeak across the floor, moving Louis along with it, laughing.  The loud noise dissipated most of the tension and they got on with their sandwiches and talking.

To get a conversation going, Liam had to start things off a bit, talking about a field trip he had planned for the day after Phoenix and asking Louis about his own plans for days off, and then that segued into the schedule for the album release and the last few remaining decisions left.  Before Liam knew it, Louis was off on a tangent.  Liam was glad for it, not just for the chance to actually eat his sandwich, but also because it allowed him to really take in Louis' face, completely changed from how it was that morning, animated and pleased now.  He let his eyes briefly scan downwards to see the change in Louis' body as well.  Louis kept one foot tucked under him like he so frequently did, but the the other was swinging freely, occasionally hitting Liam, brushing Liam's shin with his toes.

Liam tried not to look so long that Louis noticed, reminding him that he was still mostly naked.  Louis' state of undress felt like the only thing making the meal particularly different from any other regular bullshit session for them.  All it would take was a t-shirt and Liam could pretend there had been nothing unusual about their morning, but he wasn't ready to give up his view of Louis quite yet.  Maybe by dinner.

Staring at Louis' bare torso, noticing how Louis was sitting straight to keep his back from touching the back of the chair, was distracting enough for Liam despite his efforts that he missed the exact path that Louis had taken from discussing album art mockups for the first two singles to recapping Celebrity Big Brother.  Louis was going on about how gutted he was that they would be back in America when the final aired, but he was still rooting for Audley to win.  Liam didn't keep up with most of Louis' trash television choices, preferring silly American cable shows where everyone seemed less mean, but he listened with a smile anyway as Louis listed off all the contestants who were dicks as far as he was concerned.

Louis was so caught up in his rant about last episode's nominations that a lock of his hair shook loose from where it had been behind his ear, grown long enough to fall in his eyes.  Liam reached up to tuck it back into place, thumb grazing Louis' cheek in the process and Louis froze, words caught in his throat.  At first, Louis just stared, but when Liam started to pull his hand away, Louis moved with him, not wanting to lose contact.  Perhaps saying their dynamic had returned to normal was overstating things.  Liam doubled down on the reaction and laced his fingers through Louis' hair, Louis' eyes fluttering shut as he leaned into the touch.  It struck Liam how quickly their roles came back into place, never really turning off so much as fading in and out of the foreground.

The sudden silence was thick, tense but not necessarily in a bad way, and Liam wasn't sure there was any way to get back to relaxed conversation at that point even if either of them could remember where they had left off.  That probably meant it was as good a time as any to clear the table.

He asked Louis to gather the plates and mugs into the sink as he got up.  Liam followed behind, grabbing a dish towel on the way, and gestured for Louis to wash up.  "Uh, Liam, can I use the…"  Louis didn't bother finishing the sentence, Liam already denying the question with a clipped shake of his head, pointing back to the sink.

"When you're done.  Finish what you started."  Louis said nothing further and accepted Liam's order with a small nod, turning the water on and starting in on the first plate.  Liam didn't help matters as he dried each item slowly when Louis handed them over, leaving Louis' hands under the water even longer as he timed his passing.  Liam kept a smirk on his face, waiting for Louis to crack under the pressure and make a run for the loo, expecting it even.  It would serve Louis right for making jokes about wanting Liam to control everything, even that.

Louis started to ask again when he finished the silverware, but bit down on his lip instead and picked up the first mug, tightening his fingers in a vice grip.  Liam couldn't resist pushing him a bit more if Louis was so intent on winning this game.  "You've already made a mess of your pants once today.  You'll be left with nothing to wear if you ruin these pretty ones too."

It was with gritted teeth that Louis washed the second mug, gripping the edge of the counter after he finished, knuckles white.  Liam flicked his eyes up from where he had ostensibly been concentrating on the cup as he dried it.  "Do you still need to - "

Louis cut him off quickly with an undignified squeak, squirming in place.  "God, please please please, sir.  Please, Liam.  I don't want to make a mess."

"Go."  Liam nodded with a laugh and Louis skid around the corner.  Liam futzed with the towel in his hands before tucking it back on the oven handle, not really knowing what to think or do now that _that_ had just happened.  He looked for something to distract himself from the inevitable uncertainty that followed testing their boundaries.

There was really no tidying left to be done in the kitchen.  Louis had cleaned up after him as he made the sandwiches and with the dishes done, the normal busy work Liam did to keep moving wasn't really needed.  Instead, he wandered back to the living room, trying to figure out where were they supposed to go from here with the rest of their day.  Back to the couch for the afternoon?  That wouldn't be that strange considering the hours they could lose to FIFA on a typical day, but today wasn't typical, no matter how they slipped into old habits during lunch.  Even then, it only took one touch to remind him how differently their day had played out so far.

If Liam thought about it in terms of their prior play, he had gotten Louis off and Louis had gotten him off.  That was normally how it went for them, never longer than a few hours, leaving them sated and sleepy at the end.  Maybe that meant today had already been enough for Louis, teasing aside, at least a few of the items on his list addressed.  Although there was a difference, Liam supposed, in that they had started their day like this compared to on tour when it was how they finished their day.

Liam didn't make it to the couch, stalling out in front of one of the bookcases, filled with more random souvenirs than books.  He laughed at the tiny furry alpaca Louis had got him in Peru.  Performing in Lima felt like ages ago, even if it had been part of the same tour they were nearing the end of, back when the idea of anything more than friendship with Louis was a familiar but outgrown fantasy, and a much simpler one at that.  He doubted that back then he could have imagined himself capable of doing the things Louis asked of him now, completely unaware of this part of himself he was discovering.

Even after all they had been through and all of the reading and thinking, Liam struggled to adjust to what he uncovered in himself with each new challenge.  Already it had been an intense day, asking more of each other than they ever had before, and he wasn't sure that, if Louis still needed more, more pain or punishment, he had it in him to provide.  Administering a beating like that felt like a step beyond and it left him with a lot on his mind to deal with, but at another time, when he could separate his own reactions from Louis', his enjoyment apart from Louis' need.

When belting him or fucking Louis' mouth, the rush of control, of dominance, was so intense and overwhelming, but in the smaller, quieter moments, it felt no less intoxicating.  Liam still wanted to frame what they did together in a way that made him feel good, Louis finally letting someone take care of him and Liam wanting to be needed, like when Louis nuzzled into his hand or rested against his knee.  But he needed to deal with the other half of it, the thrill of denying Louis something and Louis complying because he said so, the power he held to make Louis beg.  He knew how strong Louis' will could be, having been on the wrong side of it more than once, so being given control of it for any amount of time was a significant gift.

 

((continued directly into next chapter))


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Direct Continuation of Chapter 11- look there for notes etc.

((continued directly from previous chapter))

 

 

The knowledge that it was a gift kept Liam conscious of whether he was asking too much of Louis, even if Louis had given it freely.  Just because Louis had asked for everything didn't give Liam the right to take anything.  With that in mind, he still wanted one more thing from Louis, something he had denied them both so far.  Louis had gotten off from the belting earlier but not really from Liam, not like he had the last night they spent together, when Liam had wanted so badly to see Louis' face when he was inside him.  The memory made Liam's grip tighten on the small figure and he set it down, switching it for something sturdier.  So quickly, he had gone from ready to call it a day to craving Louis under him, looking up at him with that wrecked desperate expression, begging for him.  Liam was growing familiar with the uneasy push and pull of his desires, happy with what Louis gave him but always hungry for a little bit more, never as tired or finished with it as maybe he thought he should be.  Just like before, once an idea took root in his imagination, he fixated on it and it took an effort to still his fidgeting, flipping a paperweight over in his hands as he paced the room.

Liam ended up at the piano without really thinking, but it wasn't surprising.  It was one of his favorite spots in this place, the only real thought he had put into furnishing it, and while he didn't play often or particularly well, he was proud of the purchase as a musician, not just a pop idol.  He lifted the lid and ran his fingers over the keys in a familiar pattern without pressing down.  He could hear it in his mind anyway and it calmed him, the way music could always fix him when he wasn't quite right.

Scooting on to the bench, Liam started playing an old practice piece that he memorized long before X-Factor and One Direction, before Louis started teaching him how to play real songs.  He remembered when Louis had been the one in charge, hands over his own, moving his fingers to the right chords and whispering encouragements and hints into his ear.  Louis was so wild then, uncontained, but he would concentrate so intently on Liam in those moments that Liam could barely breathe.  Louis had calmed down some over the last four years and Liam had gained more confidence, but he could see the thread between then and now, the way they focused and balanced each other.  The music did calm him and made it possible to keep his thoughts together.  Despite Liam's desires, if Louis had come down the hall, back in his jeans and t-shirt, and shoved Liam off the bench with a laugh, Liam would have been content for the rest of the day.

Fortunately for him, Liam didn't have to worry about that because when Louis entered the room a moment later, he was still only clad in the panties, arms crossed over his chest and giggly.  It was a nervous laugh that quieted when he knelt next to Liam, a few feet away before he edged closer, and laid his head on Liam's knee.  Liam hadn't told him to and Louis hadn't said anything.  It was just where Louis wanted to be.  Liam took his fingers off the keys to run them through Louis' hair, grateful all over again for everything Louis had brought into his life, but especially today.  He had an idea of how to show it but it meant moving Louis from his happy spot.

"Switch with me," Liam said with a tap on Louis' shoulder, tilting his head.

Louis looked up suspiciously but stood anyway.  "Can I ask why?"  Once sitting, he clasped his hands behind his back with a cheeky grin like Liam might tie him to the bench, which Liam stored away as a possibility for another day.

"Because I want to hear you play," Liam explained patiently.  "Haven't in a long time."  He was already kneeling behind Louis and pushed Louis' hands from behind his back towards the keys.

Louis rolled his eyes, still not exactly understanding what he was supposed to be cooperating with.  "You hear me play plenty."

"Like when plonking out a song we're working on but not properly play."

Louis scooted forward slightly, getting ready, and Liam put his hands on either side of his hips, fingers resting along Louis' bare thighs.  Still, Louis resisted, some misplaced insecurity regarding his abilities most likely.  "Don't you play this thing yourself?"

"Sometimes.  But right now, I want to hear you."

Louis attempted one more deflection.  "There's only so many songs I can play without sheet music."

"That's fine."  Liam's tone didn't bear further discussion and Louis finally accepted with a small nod.  Hands in position, he turned to look at Liam one last time before starting.  Louis was less tentative once he made it through the opening chords of "How to Save a Life."  Liam smiled at the choice, having heard the album hundreds of times over on tour.  Louis treated it like his security blanket, something familiar from before all the fame and fortune happened.  Liam rested his forehead on Louis' shoulderblade and leaned forward until his lips brushed against the skin in a light kiss.

Louis' skin was cool now, but colored in alternating marks of red and purple.  His lips dragged along one of the raised scrapes and Louis' notes stumbled before halting, a quiet whine escaping.  "Liam..."

Liam moved his lips away from Louis' skin, but only far enough so he could speak.  "Sir might be better right now, yeah?"  Louis nodded, timidly biting his lip, but straightening his back at the same time, like he so badly wanted to do well.  "So do as you're told and start from the beginning."

Louis began again and Liam continued his path across Louis' back, kissing every inch of marked skin.  He could feel the slight vibration in Louis' chest as he hummed to keep track of where he was in the song.  Liam took his time, each kiss a thank you for everything Louis had given him, and he wasn't ready to be done when the song finished.  He listened for a moment as Louis' breath jumped and relaxed in turns before whispering, "Again."  Louis complied and Liam continued, kisses moving farther down all the time.

Just looking at the marks earlier hadn't been enough and Liam wasn't sure even this close careful study would satisfy his fascination with them, a record of what they had done together across Louis' skin.  He guessed he would still be as enthralled with them by the time they faded and needed replacing.  Would they last until the next time he saw Louis naked, if that wasn't until California?  Liam had plenty of reasons to love being on break, but they were hard to remember at exactly this second with his world so tightly focused on one room and one person.

Louis had to have figured out what Liam was doing by now, well aware of Liam's fixation from the beginning with how his skin looked bruised and covered with the traces of the time they spent like this, but Liam didn't truly know how Louis felt about them.  There was a time Louis said he wanted them to last, a reminder even when Liam wasn't around.  Liam skated a fingertip over one of the particularly bad abrasions before following it with a soothing kiss.  Liam had only left bruises before, not like this, and he wondered if Louis had used the mirror in the bathroom after his shower to see what his back looked like.  If he had, he had still come out smiling and appeared pleased with Liam's attention.  Would he be as happy when he looked at them tomorrow after going home?  The only other person who would see them was Eleanor, and Liam knew she wouldn't let Louis get away with saying nothing about them, but just what would he say?  That he deserved it or that he wanted it?  That it made him feel better or that it made him feel good?

Most importantly, he hoped that Louis understood how special what he gave Liam was and that Liam knew it, even when neither of them were capable of putting it into words.  Louis was about to start for a third time when Liam placed his hand over Louis' to still him.  Liam rested his cheek against Louis and wrapped his arm around him for a quiet moment before saying the only words he did know for it, "Thank you."  Louis barely responded, a timid sir and a bow of his head, but when Liam finally stood, Louis was smiling at the floor, eyes shining with a private satisfaction.  Liam drew out the pause, admiring the look on Louis' face, until he realized Louis was patiently awaiting his next request.

"Right, thanks for that, I just…"  Liam wasn't sure he could explain what he truly meant, what he had been trying to do, thanking Louis for far more than the song or even his obedience, without seeming like a completely sap, and so just awkwardly ended up repeating the same insufficient words.  Louis might have said he chose Liam because he was strong or grounded, but he shouldn't have underestimated just how sentimental Liam could be, even about this.  Liam desperately needed to lighten the mood, something relaxing they could do so he didn't spend the rest of the afternoon trapped in his own head.  "Well, is there anything that you wanted to do?"

Louis looked up with an eyebrow raised, trying to contain his smirk now.  He kept his eyes locked with Liam's as he moved slowly, like he expected to be stopped at any moment.  Liam went with it, a little transfixed, as Louis slid to the end of the bench and pulled Liam close by his belt loops.  Louis' fingers slid from the waistband of Liam's jeans to the pocket Liam had tucked the list in that morning.  "I bet we could find something new here."  Liam swiftly moved to grip Louis' wrist and keep him from pulling it from his pocket, but didn't do anything else further, listening to the way Louis' breath sped up.  Liam's fingertips digging into his skin and the resulting adrenaline made Louis bolder and he got up on his knees on the bench.  Louis moved his hand behind him, and Liam's with it.  Liam picked up on the hint and followed it, despite his better judgement, grabbing Louis' bum and pulling them together chest to chest.  Louis was still a bit below him and whispered into Liam's neck, "I'm open to suggestions, _sir_."

Louis punctuated the remark by arching his back so that his bum pressed even harder into Liam's hand.  There was a very good chance that Louis was suggesting exactly what Liam wanted more than anything, pleading with his body for Liam to fuck him, to be inside him.  Liam imagined he could pick Louis up by his hips from this position and throw him down on the bed in seconds, but that wasn't meant for right now, not when he wasn't sure either of them would be able to move from the bed once Liam had his way with Louis.  It took every ounce of self control Liam possessed to catch his breath and move his hand up to the small of Louis back, earning a small whine from Louis.

"I don't mean," Liam struggled, "I don't mean necessarily like _that_.  While _that_ sounds…"  Louis seemed appeased by the way Liam wavered, words like amazing, wonderful, perfect on the tip of his tongue.  Still, Liam managed to take a step back, because they had to be able to do more than that.  If anything, that was hopefully what they'd walk away from today with, having figured out better how this dynamic between them worked outside of the bedroom.  They already knew it worked very, very well in the bedroom.  "I mean, anything you want."

Louis got the idea but shrugged, turning inward slightly now that the brash seductive act fell away.  "I dunno, just wanna make you happy."

Liam had to choke a giddy laugh.  "Oh God, you do, so much."  Liam pulled Louis to his feet and wrapped him in a bear hug.  The way goosepimples raised over Louis' shoulders concerned Liam, considering the possibility that Louis was too cold from the extended lack of clothes, and he squeezed Louis tighter.  "You've been so, so good today.  You deserve it, like a reward."

Louis laughed it off self-deprecatingly, face buried in Liam's neck, but he seemed less uncomfortable as he pulled away.  "Well, apparently there was some good football we missed while we were in America.  Should be able to catch a replay on Sky+, right?"  Before Liam could say yes, because, of course, the only thing this day was missing was football, Louis was back to looking at his feet and shifting.  "That's dumb, isn't it?  We don't have to - "

Liam cut him off with a small quick kiss.  Louis could be so confident with the sexual things they did, offering himself up to Liam without hesitation, but when it was the little things, accepting Liam's praise and desire to reward him, those were the things that got him flustered.  "Sounds great.  I'll pull up the menu and you can pick which one."

Liam headed to the TV, dragging Louis along with his arm still wrapped around Louis' waist, until they fell into the couch in a pile, Louis almost in Liam's lap.  The TV buzzed to life as Liam mashed buttons, eventually landing on the right menu with last weekend's fixture list.  He passed the remote to Louis to choose, but Louis was still shifting uneasily, like he was considering sliding to the floor again.

Leaning into Louis' ear, Liam whispered, "Very good boys can sit on the couch and you've been very, very good."  Liam helped make his point by clasping the back of Louis' neck and when he gave a light squeeze to urge Louis to make his decision, it was like someone had released the strings holding Louis so stiff and upright, sinking into the couch and Liam's hold.  Liam was grateful that had worked since they would need an alternative to Louis always sitting on the floor when they weren't alone.  Louis scrolled through the list and since Doncaster and West Brom had both had poor showings over the weekend, he settled on the Chelsea-Everton match that everyone was still talking about.

Liam was only half paying attention, quickly flicking through some e-mails with his free hand, when he felt Louis bounce up in surprise at the first goal, scored less than a minute into play.  He put his phone away and less than two minutes later, Chelsea had scored again.  Neither of them were particularly for or against either side, but it was hard not to get wrapped up with each near miss bouncing off the post or blocked by the keeper, it was just that kind of game.  When Hazard managed an almost impossible shot that ended up as an own goal, Louis did actually jump off the couch, and Liam pushed him back down with a hand on his leg, laughing but needing to keep a hold on Louis.

He wasn't completely conscious of how his hand crept up Louis' thigh, tensing with each shot that could have leveled the score, but a soft whimper from Louis made him suddenly and painfully aware.  Louis was only half hard but the thin fabric hid nothing and Liam knew how easy it would have been to move his hand farther over.  Louis had been so quick to offer earlier and would likely be quick to agree now, but it wasn't fair to keep going back and forth.  Not yet meant not yet for both of them, but Liam wasn't going to make it without Louis putting some more clothes on.

At eighty minutes, Louis jolted up at Everton's failed shot on goal and Liam clamped his hand down hard enough that his fingers dug into the soft flesh of Louis' thigh.  Louis mumbled, "Sorry, sir," and bit down on his lip in honest contrition.  It wasn't even meant to wind Liam up, but it did and he definitely needed to get off this couch before he pulled Louis on top of him.

Liam loosened his grip but couldn't quite bear taking his hand off of Louis altogether.  "You already read the recap, it's pretty much over, right?  That has to be all of the goals."

"There's one more, less than a minute before they go into extra time," Louis supplied.

"But Chelsea still wins?" Liam asked, a bit too shortly and without waiting for Louis' nodded response before clicking the TV off.  "We should get started pulling something together for tea.  Maybe get some trousers on you since I don't think The Naked Chef was meant to be taken literally when you use the hob."  Louis rolled his eyes at Liam's worries but followed him into the kitchen, where Liam was already listing what needed to be done in an effort to calm himself.

Louis had gotten the large pot out and the water set up to boil by the time Liam finished digging through the cupboards for ingredients, which meant there really wasn't much for two people to do after that point.  Liam didn't exactly trust leaving Louis in the kitchen alone so he stayed to fix the meal, and sent Louis off to take care of other tasks, remaking the bed and folding the laundry, similar chores he used to give Louis.  The only one Louis balked at a little was the reminder to find a pair of jeans to put on.

Liam was dishing the pasta into bowls when Louis returned.  Louis apparently hadn't bothered with his overnight bag and instead grabbed a pair of Liam's jeans from the dryer.  The looser fit hung off his hips and left an edge of black lace showing.  That answered any questions Liam had about asking Louis to wear something similar on a normal day on tour.  It was common enough that Louis' shirt would ruck up when he was running around and expose his regular cotton pants, so satin and lace probably wouldn't escape notice.  Liam set the bowls on the table and turned back to Louis to make sure he knew it hadn't escaped notice tonight, pulling him in by his denim waistband and letting his hand slip under the lace briefly.  Louis inhaled sharply before stating, "Drinks."  Liam let him go with a nod and sat down, waiting for Louis to serve them.

Dinner was easier than lunch, the practice at turning things up and down starting to pay off.  Louis grabbed Liam's phone from the table to look up the day's international results and read off some other injury news and transfer rumors.  It wasn't until the end of the meal that Louis looked at all uncomfortable, worried that there would be a repeat of the dishes incident after this meal as well.  Liam shooed him off to go, still not sure how uncomfortable Louis had been then or if it was possible to be uncomfortable in the right way.  He called after Louis to tell him to put on a jumper before heading back, the house cooler now that the sun had set.

Liam left the dishes in the sink and headed back to the living room and the couch to pick out a movie, grabbing a blanket on the way to pull around his shoulders.  Louis returned with the jeans still on but no jumper and when Liam nodded that he could sit on the couch, Louis took it a step further, snuggling deep into Liam's chest.  If it had just been that Louis didn't get the jumper because he wasn't cold, Liam would have accepted it, there was a limit to how much he could fuss over Louis, but that clearly wasn't the case as Louis curled his chilled fingers into Liam's side, slightly shivering.  With an obvious sigh, Liam set down the remote and scooped up Louis, setting him on the opposite side of the couch so he could stand.

The resistance didn't make sense to Liam, frustrated as he dug to the back of the closet, set on picking the soft one he wanted if he was going to have to get it himself.  Liam had given him permission and he didn't know how many ways he could tell Louis that he'd been good and deserved whatever he wanted.  Liam hurried back once he found it, returning to a Louis that was still holed up in the corner of the couch with both legs tucked under himself, small and compact as he stared into the distance.  As soon as Louis noticed Liam's reappearance, though, he put on a showy pout, trying to make light of the matter.

"Didn't get it because I don't need it," Louis huffed.  "I'll be fine without it _or_ the blanket."  Louis dug his teeth into his lip but Liam could hear the silent addition, that he'd be fine without cuddling with Liam.  "I can take it, _sir_."  Louis could add that short word to any sentence and make it sarcastic or heated or obedient, but right now it was simply petulant.  Louis kept his arms crossed when the sweater was handed to him and Liam all but growled in annoyance.

" _I'm_ the one who decides what you _have_ to take," Liam reminded him firmly.  As he crowded into Louis' space, Louis went wide-eyed and he lifted his arms above his head in cooperation when Liam tapped at him.  Liam pulled the jumper the rest of the way over Louis and when his head popped out, Liam added with a less agitated smile, "Besides, your shivering was distracting."

Louis stayed on his side of the couch as Liam sat back down and started the movie.  Liam glanced over a few times, at Louis and the empty space between them, until he finally caught Louis' attention by clearing his throat.  He beckoned to Louis with a crooked finger.  When Louis started to move to the floor, apparently assuming that Liam had meant on his knees, Liam shook his head sharply and continued to gesture for Louis to come closer.  Once in reaching distance, he pulled Louis tight against his chest with his arms wrapped around him.  If Louis was going to act so stubbornly, like curling up with Liam was some sign of weakness, then Liam was just going to have to demand it.  It was a familiar strategy, one that had gone both ways in the past, one of them set on holding onto a bad mood, the other determined to wrestle it away by any means necessary.  Louis was powerless to keep his sour expression in place despite how he tried to squirm away from Liam's aggressive cuddling.  Liam didn't let up on his squeezing or nuzzling until Louis barked out a laugh, the sulking chased away for now at least.

Even then, rather than let Louis go, Liam positioned his fingers between Louis' ribs, a threat Liam planned to go through with as a playful kind of punishment.  Clearly, ending up in a snuggle had been Louis' goal when he first sat down, but Liam couldn't let Louis ignoring him go unanswered for, not to mention how he continued to not ask Liam for what he wanted.  "I hope something like that won't happen again tonight," he told Louis, digging in rhythmically as Louis thrashed.  He stopped once Louis was sufficiently out of breath, but Liam stole a quick grope of Louis' arse before he was completely righted.  "Can always give you another reminder to do things the first time I ask, if I need to."  It had been a repeat item on the list of offenses before.  Louis shook his head with a smirk and let himself relax against Liam finally.  

They had missed a good fifteen minutes of the film already, but it was mostly the opening credits and big sweeping establishing shots, so it was fine.  Liam moved his arm from Louis' waist to his shoulders but otherwise never let his hold waver, only pulling in closer as Louis settled against his side and tried to tuck himself farther under Liam's arm.  They succeeded at watching for awhile, maybe the longest attempt of the day, but eventually Liam's attention shifted back to Louis.  Liam knew when he grabbed that particular jumper that it was not only soft, but that its wide neck would show off Louis' collarbones, including the matching bites he left there earlier.  Unable to resist, he rubbed his thumb into one of them and Louis gasped in return.  The next time Liam pressed down, he caught Louis' open mouth with his own, urging Louis to respond with soft sweeps of his tongue.

It took seconds for Liam to forget everything that wasn't Louis' mouth, not realizing just how long it had been since the last time he kissed him, not a quick peck but this kind of all-encompassing embrace that left him wanting nothing else.  He had fuzzy dream-like memories of sharing long, drawn out kisses when they were too tired for anything else or after playing, whispering reassurances to Louis as he came down, but that had all stopped before their fight.  But if Liam had missed it, Louis must have been waiting for it all day, with the way he rolled on top of Liam, unabashedly greedy for more.

Quickly, Liam resituated himself and Louis, never letting Louis' lips escape from his for more than a few seconds, until Louis was snug between Liam's legs and still leaning on Liam's chest.  Almost breathless already, Liam slowed their pace to softer relaxed kisses, but as soon as he gave an inch, Louis would take a mile, chasing deeper into Liam's mouth, eager to please.  Liam had to admit the best part of Louis misbehaving was how he tried to make up for it after the fact, throwing himself completely into whatever Liam wanted.  Louis had the ability to direct some of the action by virtue of being on top, but all it took was one tug at the hair at the base of Louis' neck and Louis went limp, bearing his neck for Liam.

Liam licked his way up the offered column of Louis' neck before reclaiming his mouth again.  Each time Louis tried to push things further, pulling up at the hem of Liam's shirt or reaching for his jeans, Liam would subtly assert his power, holding tight to Louis' shoulder or jaw, ghosting his thumb over Louis' throat with the slightest pressure.  Louis' fingers would instantly loosen and Liam could feel Louis' agreeable moan vibrate against his lips as well as against his fingertips still resting on Louis' throat.  As soon as Louis relented, Liam would lace his fingers back into Louis' shaggy hair and try to return to calmer, more restrained kisses.

Liam knew Louis wanted him to take more, take control completely, goading Liam into it with short rolls of his hips, but Liam was enjoying mapping every corner of Louis' mouth and taking his time nipping at Louis' lips until they were swollen.  Something about it made him feel like a teenager, lightheaded in the beginning of a relationship, and that feeling only came around so often so he didn't want to rush past it.  If nothing else, there was something self-defeating about pulling Louis' clothes off after the effort it took to get him into them.

They were so consumed by each other that it wasn't until a loud explosion from the television startled them that they realized how close to finished the movie was.  Liam hadn't meant to jump at the noise but when he did, it was like a spell was broken and they realized just how long they had been making out, no _sir_ s or rules, just hungry for each other.  Liam straightened slightly and Louis followed his lead, moving out of Liam's lap to his own seat on the couch.  With the arm that still rested around Louis, Liam tried to pull him back in for another brief kiss but there was a hesitation in his response now that Liam hadn't felt before, and so with regret, he loosened his hold on Louis altogether.  He didn't want to let him go but he also couldn't stand feeling like the cause of the tightness in Louis' shoulders.  He knew better than to let things like that go ignored for too long after what had happened, but there was something to giving Louis a minute to work out his own solution if Liam couldn't come up with one right away.

That was why, when Louis tried to casually slide to the floor for the last twenty minutes of the movie, Liam allowed it without comment.  Liam didn't really want to give up having Louis next to him, still hoping Louis would lean back against him again, but if being at Liam's feet was what Louis needed, he could do that.  He showed his support for the move with a kiss in Louis' hair, leaving his fingers behind to idly play with the strands going in every direction, the wild result of a full day of tugging and touseling with no product in it to guide it back into shape.

When the credits started to roll, Liam tapped Louis' shoulder to come back to the couch, but Louis dropped his eyes down to his lap instead.  The look on Louis' face wasn't particularly bad or upset, but there was a strange distance to it that Liam struggled to interpret.  After the week they had spent with all the mixed up tension going back and forth and the eventual fight, Liam could better recognize how Louis asked for more or less without words.  He thought he was fluent in Louis' body language by now, but that didn't mean there wasn't occasionally new vocabulary to discover.

Uncertainty and doubt were clearly broadcast in the way Louis held himself, but Liam couldn't figure out why.  There hadn't been anything to be upset about, Liam hadn't asked anything of Louis or called him out for misbehaving in any way, at least nothing more serious than the jumper issue that he thought they had resolved.  That was when he realized that was exactly what had Louis feeling uneasy, what they hadn't done.  Eating dinner together, cuddling on the couch, fully dressed, they were all things that made them seem far more like a regular couple rather than a secret sex thing, tied up with ideas of whips and chains.  Now Louis' resistance to the jumper earlier made more sense, one more thing inching them towards normal, like Liam was trying to stop or go back, that he didn't want Louis, at least not in this specific way.

With that in mind, Liam moved to the edge of couch and cupped the back of Louis' neck.  He did his very best to steel his voice with the commanding tone that Louis responded to so distinctly.  "You're to go get ready for bed, undress except for the panties, and kneel at the foot of the bed until I'm ready for you.  Yes?"

Louis' body reacted immediately, tightening not in anxiety but anticipation, and Louis hurried off after a satisfyingly breathless, "Yes, sir."  Liam watched Louis as he exited the room and smiled in the triumphant way he always did when he read Louis right, another puzzle unlocked.  Liam felt a similar quickening in his chest, itching to not hold himself back any longer.

Pacing himself, Liam turned off the TV and folded the blanket neatly over the back of the couch.  There was a comfort in taking his time, not needing to rush, as he set the dishes in the sink to soak.  There was hardly ever any extra time on tour and everything was always a mess, but being at home meant there was no hurry.  There was no plane to catch in the morning, no early recording time blocked, he had all night with Louis.  From the kitchen, he listened to Louis turn the faucet off and leave the bathroom.  He shuffled through a pile of mail as he stalled another three minutes according to the microwave clock, wanting to give Louis enough time to not just get into position but to settle into his wait and clear his head.

Liam finally headed to the bedroom himself and continued straight to the bathroom, finding Louis exactly where he was supposed to be in his peripheral vision, but he did not acknowledge him except for a small smile he couldn't help.  Liam left the bathroom door open as he brushed his teeth and washed his face so he could watch Louis' reflection in the mirror.  Louis had that distance about him again but the straight line of his back and the lack of tension around his eyes convinced Liam that this time it was a matter of pride, a strategy to waiting patiently, not of unhappiness.

Liam rubbed his face roughly against the towel once more time, shaking all of the extra thoughts from his mind, and settling on one happy one, that they really had managed to do this, spend an entire day in these roles.  There had been quiet moments and intense ones.  It hadn't been absolutely perfect the whole time, but they worked together in sync and adjusted for each other.  It had been a rollercoaster in some ways but now he felt like he was climbing up to the last drop, the one where he could let go completely.  

Liam shed his shirt and jeans before opening the cabinet under the sink where he had tucked their little black bag after unpacking.  Originally, he was only looking for the cooling lotion, but on second thought, he grabbed the whole bag, as well as a hairbrush and a hand towel.  Liam held onto the lotion and brush after setting everything else on the floor next to the bed when he walked back into the room.  He stood in front of Louis until Louis looked up, the remote stare replaced with a content smile that Liam returned.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he motioned for Louis to move between his legs.  Louis eyed the hairbrush warily before complying, rewarded with a quiet "good boy" from Liam.  Liam laughed at the idea of less conventional uses for the brush as he ran it through the tangled mess, but the fact was Louis' hair needed it after how Liam had spent the day rucking it up.  Louis continued to kneel without complaint as Liam worked, but wrinkled his brow in confusion when Liam set down the brush and picked up the bottle of lotion.

Louis made a small questioning noise as Liam rubbed the lotion in, starting at the tops of Louis' shoulders and working his way down.  Liam urged him to speak.  "Go ahead, I told you you were allowed to talk today."

"Just, uh," Louis started with a nervous laugh, "isn't this supposed to be the other way around?  Me serving you?"  He twisted out of Liam's reach so he could look at Liam when he answered.

Liam leaned forward and guided Louis back into place.  "Mmm.  You've done plenty of that today, Lou, done it very well in fact.  Must've earned something in return."  Louis ducked his head, uncomfortable with the attention and praise even when Liam knew he craved it.  "Think about it this way.  If I owned you," Liam paused as he felt Louis jump slightly, his face lighting up at the hypothetical scenario, "well, then you'd be my prized possession, wouldn't you?  Irreplaceable.  I'd need to take care of you."

Almost too quiet for Liam to hear, Louis whispered, "Yours."  The word made Liam feel warm as he continued applying the lotion.  No longer resting on his heels, Louis straightened up obediently with little direction as Liam reached farther down.  Louis was trying so hard to be cooperative that he swallowed a grunt when Liam ran his hands over one of the worst spots, the skin slightly scraped there so the lotion must have stung.  It pained Liam to unintentionally hurt Louis, but hopefully the aloe would help him heal faster.  The sooner the marks lightened, the less they would have to worry about when they returned to tour, but that didn't mean Liam he had to be happy about the idea of them fading.  Maybe he could mark Louis again somewhere more private, a dark bruise just for them.  As Liam considered just where would be best, he dipped his fingers below the lacy waistband of Louis' panties, finished with the rest of his back.  "Do you want me to keep going?"

Liam drew out the teasing words until Louis mewled over him and begged, "Please, sir."

"Up."  Liam ordered him to stand and then helped him to the bed, hands wrapped firmly around Louis' hips.  Once Louis had crawled on to all fours, Liam slid the panties down to Louis' knees and continued with more lotion, sweeping his palms over Louis' arse, the color mostly gone down except for one hit that lightly bruised.  Liam pressed into it with a bit of wicked glee at how it made Louis' back arch.  It was sexy when it was one of the marks he made, but as he rubbed down Louis' thighs and calves, he saw more bruises in odd shapes that he hadn't noticed earlier.  Those he circled gently, protectively, with a click of his tongue.  "They really did beat you up playing yesterday, didn't they?"

"Yeah, and that was just practice," Louis joked, obnoxiously proud of the lengths he'd go to as a defender.  "Imagine when I'm playing for keeps this weekend."

"I expect you to take better care of my things."  Liam watched Louis' face as he trailed his fingers back up his legs and then his spine, looking for how Louis reacted to being referred to as his.  He wasn't disappointed by how Louis dug his teeth into his bottom lip.  "I'll have to punish you if you can't be more careful.  One smack for every bruise I find that I didn't make."  He lightly swatted at Louis to make his point.

Louis gasped, saying, "I don't know if that's the best disincentive."  Louis' reply wasn't meek or passive, it was light and teasing.  It was partially because Louis had been under orders not to speak before, but they never talked like this while playing, while Liam was in control.  They had both always been very careful about keeping their boundaries up, but those walls seemed to be getting thinner all the time.  Fortunately, he had a lot of practice bantering with Louis otherwise.

"Maybe we need more positive reinforcement.  I hear that works better sometimes.  How about, however long you manage to stay on the pitch," Liam proposed while running his fingers back to the cleft of Louis' arse, "is how long I'll spend fucking you."  Louis nodded rapidly, the sound of his breath more labored at the suggestion.  Liam could look forward to following through on that idea soon enough, but he doubted either of them could wait that long.  Liam knew exactly how badly he wanted Louis spread out beneath him.  "Is that something you'd like?  Tonight?"

Louis nodded again, followed by a light moan as Liam moved behind him and spread his cheeks apart, but he didn't speak until Liam prompted him.  "Yes, sir.  Please, sir."  Liam dragged a dry finger over Louis' hole, and he knew he needed to retrieve the lube from the bag but Louis was so ready for him, begging already.  Following the temptation of curiosity, urged on by Louis' soft whimpers at being exposed like that and the possibility of discovering new noises yet he could pull from Louis, he leaned forward and flattened his tongue against his entrance.  Louis' hips bucked against him and Liam tightened his grip on them, pushing back until Louis regained control of himself.  He tried again, licking more gently, until Louis whined, "Li - fuck, I mean, sir.  Please."

Liam relented, mostly so he could get the lube, as well as a condom so he wouldn't have to move away from Louis again.  Louis took the respite to try and calm back down, arms shaking a little already.  "I think we'll need to try more of that another night, when you aren't so desperate for it."  Louis didn't bother arguing with the truth, nodding vigorously in agreement until Liam slipped a slick finger inside him.  Finally, Liam gave Louis at least a little of the full feeling he was pleading for and he immediately dropped his head between his arms, his hips rocking back but with more discipline than before.

Liam was able to slide a second finger in surprisingly quickly, like Louis had been keeping himself open, or maybe someone else had.  A thrill of jealousy ran up Liam's spine, possessively gripping Louis' waist, feeling Louis' heavy breathing against his palm.  Liam always knew he was sharing Louis, but still a part of him hoped there was something special that Louis only revealed to him, that only Liam could pull from him.  There was no way to know if anyone else made Louis cry out like this, broken pleas for more, but when he drew Louis tighter against him, Liam could just barely hear Louis whimpering to himself in between those cries, "Missed this, missed you."  There must be something Louis found here between them that he couldn't anywhere else and Liam wanted to give more of it to him, but even more so, he wanted Louis facing him as he did, where those words and cries couldn't be hidden.

It was one smooth movement from Liam withdrawing his fingers to flipping Louis on his back and sliding inside him again, giving Louis barely enough time to whine over the loss.  Louis' knees were still held together by the panties, but not close enough to prevent Liam access or hide the way Louis' fattening cock laid on his belly.  Liam braced a hand against the back of Louis' thigh as he pumped his fingers deeper.  Louis didn't seem to know what to do with his hands free, scratching at the sheets and then the pillow before settling on one in his hair and one over his mouth.  "Above your head," Liam directed.  "Want to see you.  Want to see how good it feels.  Hear how good it feels."

Louis pressed his palms flat against the headboard but he still tried to bury his face in his arm until Liam growled.  Louis' eyes were clenched shut and sweat was collecting at his hairline, but it was beautiful to Liam, seeing Louis falling apart.  A crook of his finger and Liam could make his head arch back and mouth fall open, but it was all a waste if Louis kept trying to hide from him.  Louis did as he was told, clasping his hands crushingly tight together above his head, but the next time Liam turned his wrist, fingers twisting inside, Louis' hand flew back to his mouth, a frantic scream escaping anyway as he bit down on the flesh of his palm.  He knew he had disobeyed as soon as he did it and begged forgiveness, rushing through the words, barely coherent.  "Sir, I'm so sorry, it's too much.  I can't control how loud.  Do something, gag me, please.  Want it so bad but it's so much."

Liam understood, but a gag would get in the way of his view, enjoying how Louis' lips were pressed tightly together to contain the continuous whimpers, and would stand in the way of more kisses later.  "Not tonight, I don't think.  Besides," Liam reminded him, "there's no reason to be quiet, not really.  No one in the room next door or down the hall, or on the other side of a curtain.  No one else to hear my good boy begging."  There was an excitement to the risk of getting caught, but the freedom to be as loud as they pleased for as long as they pleased was something even better.  Louis yielded to Liam on the matter and accepted the denial of his request.  The next time Liam thrust especially deep, instead of holding back, Louis let out a hoarse shout, one that let Liam know he had hit the right angle.

The more Louis writhed, the more Liam wanted, his cock throbbing in his pants as he rutted against the back of Louis' thigh for some crude form of friction.  Chasing Louis' increasingly frequent cries, Liam pushed Louis' legs even higher, feet almost over his head, dragging the panties from Louis' knees to his ankles in the process of shifting his grip.  Louis' knees spread apart as soon as they were free and Liam could see the pool of precome gathering just above Louis' belly button.

Louis' cries formed a word, _please_ , over and over.  Liam slowed down but still pressed deep.  "Tell me what you want."

"You, sir."  Louis kept his hands in place but he bit down on his lip hard enough Liam was convinced there would be blood left behind.  Another time, Liam might have been pleased with how Louis wanted to be silent, subservient, but he had been clear.  Tonight, he wanted to see and hear everything Louis was feeling.  Sometimes this was about teaching Louis better self-control but right now, it was about ripping all of his control away to give to Liam.

Liam leaned forward, Louis' legs trapped between them, and pinned Louis' wrists with one hand.  He was close enough to whisper in Louis' ear, voice deep and rumbling.  "Mmm, but what do you really want?"

Tangled together so closely like this, Liam could feel how Louis' chest rose and fell in short huffs.  "You, inside me, sir."

"More.  Tell me how you want it."

"Sir."  Louis' voice cracked with a small sob but Liam waited.  "I want you to fuck me, hard, please, sir."

Liam hummed approvingly.  "Do you think you've earned it?"

Louis was quick to respond.  "If you think I have."

"I don't know, let's see."  Liam adjusted his posture slightly, his wrist at an uncomfortable angle between them, but his fingers still curling and uncurling gently inside Louis, keeping Louis on edge as he spoke.  "You took your punishment so well this morning, but you came without permission.  You sat at my feet so perfectly and got me anything I wanted.  You looked so pretty in those knickers all day.  You made me come so hard from that perfect mouth of yours."  Louis let out a whimper at the words but Liam continued, his tone softer.  "Helped with the meals, helped with cleaning up, did everything I asked, even when you were a bit stubborn.  Let me take care of you.  That sounds like a lot more good than bad."

"Yeah?"  Louis' eyes clenched shut, his voice painfully weak and reedy, laid bare.

"Would I have rewarded you if you weren't good?  So tell me what you are."  Liam let up on the pressure, sitting up with Louis' legs still resting on his chest.

As time stretched with no response from Louis aside from the heaving breaths that raced past his lips, Liam began to think he wasn't going to get an answer.  Liam worried he shouldn't have brought up the belting that hadn't even been punishment in his eyes or any of Louis' disobedience, but Louis normally responded so positively knowing he had proven himself.  Before Liam could repeat the request or add something to reassure Louis, Louis managed the words.  "Your good boy."

Liam placed kisses wherever he could reach, on Louis' thigh and calf.  "Yes, yes, yes, my good boy, so good."  He groped across the bed for the lube and condom.  He needed both hands, so he wiped the sticky excess off on the towel, trying to make less of a mess on sheets he actually owned.  Pants off and condom on, he got the lube to make sure Louis was as stretched and slick as possible.

Two fingers, and then a third went easily, and in his rush, Liam's whole hand was slippery.  Without exactly meaning to, Liam's pinkie slid in next to his other three fingers curled together but he realized when Louis' short rhythmic moans became one constant keening sound.

There was no being more ready, and Liam ran his fist over himself quickly, on edge from the words he had pulled from Louis.  Just like he wanted, Louis was completely laid open for him.

Everything was better than Liam remembered for the time apart, the almost-painful tightness of the first thrust that soon relaxed into the perfect slide of them together, whether he focused on long strokes where he pulled out almost entirely or grinding into Louis, barely moving an inch but so deep.  Liam found the perfect angle that had Louis swearing and screaming almost immediately and by accident, his hold on Louis so tense he was going to leave bruises mingled with the tattooed spider web spanning Louis' shin.

Liam's eyes were closed in concentration when he felt Louis' hands grab on to his shoulders, and when he opened them, he saw the guilt on Louis' face for disobeying.  Liam nodded that it was okay, and in turn, Louis gripped even tighter, his nails digging into Liam's skin the way they normally would the cuffs.  Liam hadn't experienced much of the pain in this arrangement, but the way Louis' nails cut into him, it was like a direct connection to how hard Louis was trying to hold on.

Liam's control of his pace grew more sporadic as he watched Louis, undone and begging, repeating Liam's name over and over as he tossed his head from one side to the other, still trying unsuccessfully to bury the noise.  He should punish Louis for it, using his name and not sir, but it was intoxicating, hearing it.  Somehow things had changed, but they hadn't.  Louis wasn't restrained, Liam wasn't commanding him what to say or do, and yet Liam still felt like he so wholly possessed Louis in that moment, Louis' every reaction connected to him and feeding back into his thrusts.

Liam felt the shift in his stomach from what was good to what was going to make him come and he chased it, the coil twisting inside him.  He pulled Louis back by his hair to look at him.  "Still with me?"  Louis nodded weakly.  "Soon, okay? Do you think you can hold on?"

"Yes, yes.  I'm trying.  Please, soon."

"Yes, soon.  Just…"  Was it selfish to make Louis wait for him?  Was it the good kind of selfish he was allowed to be sometimes?  He worried Louis would be crushed if he felt like it was without permission, particularly after this morning.

Louis, in the meantime, couldn't stop the stream of words after they started.  "Want to make you feel good.  Want to be good for you.  Want to feel you come inside me."  The phrases changed but it was like a mantra he babbled, trying to keep from slipping over the edge.

"Shh, shh.  I want to, too, baby.  Just try to wait for me and then you can.  You don't need to ask for it."  At this point, Liam wasn't sure once he came, he'd be capable of granting permission.  "You've been such a good boy.  My good boy."

"Yours," Louis replied like he had earlier, louder, groaning it.  It drove an electric shock up Liam's spine.  Liam propped himself up enough to grab Louis' cock between them, dripping and messy.  He felt Louis' whole body jump when he touched him and he kept a tight hold at the base to keep Louis in check.

"Say it again."  Louis was too cloudy to understand the first time, any concentration he had focused on trying to hold on.  Liam tried again, "Say the last thing you said."

Louis swallowed hard, trying to speak, and it was almost a gasp when he said it, "Yours," but Liam's hips snapped in response anyway.  Louis repeated it again and again, louder each time.  Liam kissed him to shut him up but he just moaned the words against Liam's lips.  The one word that meant so much, that was what Liam had needed to send him crashing over the edge.  He pumped his hand quickly on Louis but he wasn't sure it was necessary, Louis coming hard before Liam had even stopped.  The joint sensation made Liam's pulse jump and he felt dizzy enough to faint.

Liam panted for air and waited for the room to stop spinning before he pulled out, Louis' legs falling to the bed, shaky and unstable from being contorted for so long.  He got the condom off and rolled into Louis' side, petting him and assuring him how very good he had been, how amazing Liam felt, but he could tell, from the way Louis smiled, his breathy laugh, that it was different than how it usually was after.

Louis was still with him, had been the whole time, had never dropped.  Actually, Liam couldn't think of a time Louis had dropped hard once all day, more that he had maintained an even haze.  It was reasonable there would be a difference between one hour from start to finish of intense sex and an all-day situation that encompassed far more, but he still worried it meant he had failed in some way.  The crescent-shaped indents in his arm, though, and the way Louis was nuzzling into his neck now that he had rolled on to his side formed a good argument against that idea.

When he closed his eyes, he could still see Louis as he came, body taut and jaw slack.  Liam didn't know how either of them kept their eyes open for the duration, but they had, and it was every bit as good as he had hoped.  He kissed along Louis' cheekbone, then his nose, and at his lips once Louis turned his face away from his neck.

Eventually, Liam accepted he needed to get out of the bed, even though Louis grumbled when he did.  He jokingly told Louis that the punishment for complaining was to come help Liam clean up, but Louis got up to do it, smiling.  The shower went quick, one washing the other in silence, just shy smirks between them and a little bit of mischievous towel snapping when they got out.

They had managed to keep the worst of the mess off the bed so they turned the lights off and crawled back in, pulling both duvets up to chase away the chill from their damp skin.  They shared more kisses under the huddle of blankets.  Liam had witnessed over the years how much Louis enjoyed kissing, and Louis wasn't shy about sharing his high opinion of his own skills, but Liam was pretty happy to have confirmed it first hand.

They only stopped when Louis curled up in the opposite direction to sleep, insistently pulling Liam's arm around him.  Tightly wrapped around each other like this, over half of the massive bed empty was left empty but if anything, they scooched closer together.  Liam couldn't quite get tired, a familiar problem he dealt with on days he didn't want to end, and, despite an exhausted yawn, Louis didn't fall asleep right away either.  The silence was comfortable but Liam still itched to fill it, wanting to say something but unsure whether it was a good idea.  Louis drifted in and out, barely awake as he played with Liam's fingertips and Liam wondered if the fact that Louis was half sleep was for the best.  Maybe then that meant Liam could convince him later that his confession had been part of a dream, or at least Louis wouldn't be alert enough for a snappy comeback.

Liam closed his eyes tightly and took in the warmth of Louis' bare shoulder as he pressed his face against him.  He couldn't see the marks in the dark, but he knew they are there.  Liam was used to Louis always being a bit chilly but being snuggled under two duvets with Liam for almost an hour of making out meant his skin was a clammy kind of hot Liam wanted to absorb.  Liam's lips brushed his skin as he spoke, "Love you, Lou."

Louis giggled quietly, grabbing Liam's wrist a little tighter, and wriggled until he was laying on his back, still pulling Liam around him.  "Know you do.  You've got four chevrons right there that say that."  He poked at them demonstratively, choosing the one closest to Liam's wrist to hold on to.

Liam propped himself up on his elbow, looking down on Louis in the dark, and smiled.  "And you've got four birds that say it too, but that's as a bandmate.  I just wanted you to know that," Liam halted with the words, but he had already gone this far.  "I love you in other ways too.  Part of what I got from talking about it yesterday was, I should make sure you know."

Liam could make out the shadow of Louis smirking back at him.  He had been right, Louis was too blissed out to be uncomfortable and enjoying Liam's awkwardness far too much.  "What you mean is you talked to El about this."

Liam buried his face again because it was so strange but true.  "Mhmm."  The sound vibrated against Louis' skin.  "She's good to you."

Louis decisively turned back on his side, pulling Liam with him.  "You're good to me, too."  Louis rocked his hips back obscenely, giggling silently again but quieting down to continue.  "All of us, good for each other."

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

 The next chapter of Lock and Key went up a week ago, but I've been hearing from people that didn't know it posted so I decided to add something here to give those that have a work subscription but not an author subscription a heads up: Lock and Key is now a series! It was getting kind of unwieldy and is only going to get more so as I know this is a story that goes on for a long time!! So, for that reason and also for those that don't read WIPs, I thought I'd cut it off here as I'm pretty satisfied with it as a stopping point. A season finale, like I said, with the series finale still far off.

 

So please check out Part 2 of Lock and Key: [There's a Power in Letting Go. ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3995368/)

 

Also, if you are interested in some more kinky lilo, check out [Won't You Show for Me](https://archiveofourown.org/series/265063), a series of one shots in a less specific canon universe.  Shorter fun things that came out of my little break.  Now it's back to working on the next chapter!


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